white-eye

American  

[hwahyt-ahy, wahyt-] / ˈʰwaɪtˌaɪ, ˈwaɪt- /

noun

plural

white-eyes

1. any of numerous small, chiefly tropical Old World songbirds of the family Zosteropidae, most of which have a ring of white feathers around the eye: several species are endangered.

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white-eye British  

noun

1. Also called (NZ): blighty.   silvereye.   tauhou.   waxeye.  any songbird of the family Zosteropidae of Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and Asia, having a greenish plumage with a white ring around each eye

2. any of certain other birds having a white ring or patch around the eye

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Etymology

Origin of white-eye

First recorded in 1840–50

Example Sentences

The white-eye family includes about 100 species, but they’re mostly tropical, and none live anywhere near here.

From Washington Post • Apr. 7, 2023

For the white-eye, a small olive bird with a beautiful white ring around its eye, our record is a significant range extension.

From New York Times • Sep. 28, 2011

Nonetheless, during this short time we also documented the Louisiade white-eye and the large-billed gerygone, ­ neither of which were expected in the Amphlet Group.

From New York Times • Sep. 28, 2011

Past molecular work by my wife and me has revealed that the low elevation white-eye inhabiting the forests far below us is not the Kolombangara white-eye’s near relative, as once believed.

From New York Times • Oct. 15, 2010

The white-eye is a plump little bird, considerably smaller than a sparrow.

From Birds of the Indian Hills by Dewar, Douglas