ornis

[ awr-nis ]

noun,plural or·ni·thes

[awr-nahy-theez]. /ɔrˈnaɪ θiz/.

an avifauna.

Origin of ornis

1860–65; <German <Greek órnīs bird; akin to Old English earn eagle (see erne), German Aar

Words Nearby ornis

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

How to use ornis in a sentence

This arises mainly from the large number of Tyrannidæ belonging to the Argentine ornis.
Argentine Ornithology, Volume I (of 2) | P. L. Sclater
The presence of three species of Coots, all apparently in abundance, is a somewhat special peculiarity of the Argentine ornis.
Argentine Ornithology, Volume II (of 2) | P. L. Sclater
ornis, or′nis, n. the birds collectively of a region, its avifauna.
Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 3 of 4: N-R) | Various

British Dictionary definitions for ornis

ornis

/ (ˈɔːnɪs) /

noun

a less common word for avifauna

Origin of ornis

C19: from Greek: bird

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

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