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vireo

[ vir-ee-oh ]
/ ˈvɪr iˌoʊ /
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noun, plural vir·e·os.

any of several small, insectivorous American birds of the family Vireonidae, having the plumage usually olive-green or gray above and white or yellow below.

RELATED WORDS

lark, wren, canary, pipit, serin, oscine

Nearby words

  1. virchow, rudolf,
  2. virelay,
  3. virement,
  4. viremia,
  5. viren,
  6. vires,
  7. virescence,
  8. virescent,
  9. virg.,
  10. virga

Origin of vireo

1825–35; < New Latin; Latin vireō (Pliny), probably the greenfinch, derivative of virēre to be green
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

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British Dictionary definitions for vireo

vireo

/ (ˈvɪrɪəʊ) /

noun plural vireos

any insectivorous American songbird of the family Vireonidae, esp those of the genus Vireo, having an olive-grey back with pale underparts

Word Origin for vireo

C19: from Latin: a bird, probably a greenfinch; compare virēre to be green
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

Word Origin and History for vireo

vireo

n.

1834, from Latin vireo, a word Pliny uses for some kind of bird, perhaps the greenfinch, from virere "be green" (see verdure). Applied in modern times to an American bird.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper