mistle thrush

[mis-uh l]

noun

a large, European thrush, Turdus viscivorus, that feeds on the berries of the mistletoe.

Origin of mistle thrush

1765–75; obsolete mistle (Old English mistel) mistletoe

Also called missel thrush.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for mistle thrush

Historical Examples of mistle thrush

The note very much resembled the well-known call of the mistle-thrush or screech-cock, (Turdus viscivorus).
The Young Yagers
Mayne Reid
Because its seeds are said to be dropped by the mistle-thrush, which feeds on its berries.
The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction, Vol. 20, No. 582, Saturday, December 22, 1832
Various

British Dictionary definitions for mistle thrush

mistle thrush

missel thrush

noun

a large European thrush, Turdus viscivorus, with a brown back and spotted breast, noted for feeding on mistletoe berries

Word Origin for mistle thrush

C18: from Old English mistel mistletoe

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