firebird

American  

[fahyuhr-burd] / ˈfaɪərˌbɜrd /

noun

1. any of several small birds having bright red or orange plumage, especially the Baltimore oriole.

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firebird British  

/ ˈfaɪəˌbɜːd /

noun

1. any of various songbirds having a bright red plumage, esp the Baltimore oriole

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Etymology

Origin of firebird

First recorded in 1815–25; fire + bird

Example Sentences

Phil performance, which ended with Dudamel fantastically engulfing Disney in the complete “Firebird” ballet score, that mythical little firebird becoming yet another enchanted force of nature.

From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2022

Then an operatic soundtrack soared to life and model Karlie Kloss appeared at the foot of the grand staircase, dressed like a bewitching firebird — all red feathers and fearsome grace.

From Washington Post • May 22, 2018

Consistently exemplary behavior on the part of a firebird can lead to an “executive” designation—along with a gray shirt.

From Slate • Mar. 8, 2017

“This new drop has more iconic Adidas colors,” says Wang, “like the firebird blue, the Stan Smith green and the soccer-jersey orange.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 19, 2017

The outside of the van is black, but it has a firebird painted on the hood, with wings that turn to flames as they wrap around the sides.

From "Fast Pitch" by Nic Stone