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uropygial gland

noun Ornithology.
  1. 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.
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Origin of uropygial gland

First recorded in 1865–70
Also called oil gland, preen gland.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
British Dictionary definitions for uropygial gland

uropygial gland

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