crissum
Americannoun
plural
crissa-
the region surrounding the cloacal opening beneath the tail of a bird.
-
the feathers of this region collectively.
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of crissum
1870–75; < New Latin, equivalent to Latin criss ( āre ) to move the haunches + -um noun suffix
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Female: head and neck cinnamon-brown; abdomen similar, passing into white on the crissum, and altogether barred with black; upper back also barred; rump and tail-feathers brownish black.
From Argentine Ornithology, Volume II (of 2) A descriptive catalogue of the birds of the Argentine Republic. by Hudson, W. H. (William Henry)
Description.—Above black, upper wing-coverts chestnut; upper tail-coverts white; tail black, concealed base and tip white: beneath black; thighs deep ferruginous; crissum white: whole length 23·0 inches, wing 14·5, tail 9·5.
From Argentine Ornithology, Volume II (of 2) A descriptive catalogue of the birds of the Argentine Republic. by Hudson, W. H. (William Henry)
Differs from No. 709 in much darker upperparts, more rusty flanks and crissum, much larger and more intensely black spots on lower parts and less curved bill.
From Color Key to North American Birds with bibiographical appendix by Chapman, Frank M.
Description.—Dark green; lores blackish; feathers of nape dirty white margined with green; front and cheeks bluish: beneath dusky green, crissum scarlet: whole length 9·0 inches, wing 6·5, tail 3·2.
From Argentine Ornithology, Volume II (of 2) A descriptive catalogue of the birds of the Argentine Republic. by Hudson, W. H. (William Henry)
Description.—Dark cinereous; head and neck black; crissum white, with a black median patch; bill and frontal shield scarlet; tip of bill yellow; feet olivaceous: whole length 15·0 inches, wing 6·8, tail 2·0.
From Argentine Ornithology, Volume II (of 2) A descriptive catalogue of the birds of the Argentine Republic. by Hudson, W. H. (William Henry)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
