whydah

or whid·ah

[ hwid-uh, wid-uh ]

/ ˈʰwɪd ə, ˈwɪd ə /

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noun

any of several small African finches of the subfamily Viduinae, the males of which have elongated, drooping tail feathers during the breeding season.

any of several African weaverbirds of the genus Euplectes, the males of which have similar long tails.

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Also called widow bird.

Origin of whydah

1775–85; alteration of widow (bird) to make name agree with that of a town in Benin, West Africa, one of its haunts

Words nearby whydah

whump, whup, WH-word, why, Whyalla, whydah, whydunnit, why'll, why're, why's, whys and wherefores

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use whydah in a sentence

It should be noted, however, that their size generally exceeds that of the largest serpents which Dr. Rpin saw at Whydah.
The Desert World|Arthur Mangin
The neighboring tribes, proud and ambitious, overran the country, and swept Whydah and adjacent places with the torch and spear.
History of the Negro Race in America From 1619 to 1880. Vol 1|George W. Williams
They stood at the door of a house—habitations in Whydah are not properly described as huts.
The Woodlands Orchids|Frederick Boyle
Whydah, its seaward outlet, was one of the ports where the slavers were loaded with their human cargoes.
The World and Its People: Book VII|Anna B. Badlam

Travelers have brought back accounts of the curious serpent house at Whydah.
The World and Its People: Book VII|Anna B. Badlam

British Dictionary definitions for whydah

whydah

whidah

/ (ˈwɪdə) /

noun

any of various predominantly black African weaverbirds of the genus Vidua and related genera, the males of which grow very long tail feathers in the breeding seasonAlso called: whydah bird, whidah bird, widow bird

Word Origin for whydah

C18: after the name of a town in Benin

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