least bittern
- See under bittern1(def 2).
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Origin of least bittern
An Americanism dating back to 1805–15
bittern1
[bit-ern]
- any of several tawny brown herons that inhabit reedy marshes, as Botaurus lentiginosus (American bittern), of North America, and B. stellaris, of Europe.
- any of several small herons of the genus Ixobrychus, as I. exilis (least bittern), of temperate and tropical North and South America.
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Origin of bittern1
1510–20; bitter, bittor bittern + -n (perhaps by association with heron), Middle English bito(u)r, butur, boto(u)r < Anglo-French bytore, Anglo-French, Old French butor < Vulgar Latin *būtitaurus, equivalent to *būti-, perhaps to be identified with Latin būteō a species of hawk (see buteo) + Latin taurus bull (cited by Pliny as a name for a bird emitting a bellowing sound)
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
bittern1
- any wading bird of the genera Ixobrychus and Botaurus, related and similar to the herons but with shorter legs and neck, a stouter body, and a booming call: family Ardeidae, order Ciconiiformes
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Word Origin
C14: from Old French butor, perhaps from Latin būtiō bittern + taurus bull; referring to its cry
bittern2
- the bitter liquid remaining after common salt has been crystallized out of sea water: a source of magnesium, bromine, and iodine compounds
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Word Origin
C17: variant of bittering; see bitter
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for least bittern
bittern
n.
heron-like bird, 13c., botor, from Old French butor "bittern," perhaps from Gallo-Romance *butitaurus, from Latin butionem "bittern" + taurus "bull" (see steer (n.)); according to Pliny, so called because of its booming voice, but this seems fanciful. Modern form from 1510s.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper