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oscine
[ os-in, -ahyn ]
/ ˈɒs ɪn, -aɪn /
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adjective
of, belonging to, or pertaining to the suborder Oscines, of the order Passeriformes, comprising the songbirds that have highly developed vocal organs.
noun
an oscine bird.
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Origin of oscine
1880–85, Americanism;<New Latin Oscines name of the suborder, equivalent to Latin oscin- (stem of oscen) songbird, originally bird that gives omens by its cry (o(b)s-, variant of ob-ob- + -cin-, stem of -cen, noun derivative of canere to sing) + -es nominative plural noun suffix
OTHER WORDS FROM oscine
non·os·cine, adjectiveWords nearby oscine
oscillatory, oscillogram, oscillograph, oscillometer, oscilloscope, oscine, oscitancy, oscitant, Osco-Umbrian, osculant, oscular
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
British Dictionary definitions for oscine
oscine
/ (ˈɒsaɪn, ˈɒsɪn) /
adjective
of, relating to, or belonging to the Oscines, a suborder of passerine birds that includes most of the songbirds
Word Origin for oscine
C17: via New Latin from Latin oscen singing bird
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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