uropygial gland

American

noun

Ornithology.

a gland opening on the back at the base of the tail in most birds that secretes an oily fluid used by the bird in preening its feathers.

uropygial gland British

noun

a gland, situated at the base of the tail in most birds, that secretes oil used in preening

"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

Etymology

Origin of uropygial gland

First recorded in 1865–70

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023