minivet

[ min-uh-vet ]

/ ˈmɪn əˌvɛt /

Save This Word!

noun

any of several small, long-tailed Asian cuckoo-shrikes of the genus Pericrocotus, having in the male black and red and in the female black and orange plumage.

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of minivet

First recorded in 1860–65; origin uncertain

Words nearby minivet

minium, Mini-Vac, minivacuum, minivan, miniver, minivet, mink, minke, minke whale, Minkowski, Minkowski space-time

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use minivet in a sentence

The solitary denizen of the plains—the little minivet (Pericrocotus peregrinus)—is the least resplendent of them all.
A Bird Calendar for Northern India|Douglas Dewar
That's a Minivet; she covers her nest with lichens so that on a lichen-covered limb it looks like a knot.
The Three Sapphires|W. A. Fraser
Very much like the Scarlet Minivet in appearance, save that the red of the cock is crimson rather than scarlet.
Indian Birds|Douglas Dewar
This longitudinal red or yellow wing-band characterises most species of minivet.
Glimpses of Indian Birds|Douglas Dewar

A literal translation of the Latin name—the flame-coloured minivet—would be more appropriate.
Glimpses of Indian Birds|Douglas Dewar

British Dictionary definitions for minivet

minivet

/ (ˈmɪnɪvɛt) /

noun

any brightly coloured tropical Asian cuckoo shrike of the genus Pericrocotus

Word Origin for minivet

C19: of unknown origin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012