bittern
noun/ˈbɪtən/
/ˈbɪtərn/
- a European bird of the heron family, that lives on wet ground and has a loud callWord Originlate Middle English bitore, from Old French butor, based on Latin butio ‘bittern’ + taurus ‘bull’ (because of its call). The -n was added in the 16th cent., perhaps by association with hern, obsolete variant of heron.
Definitions on the go
Look up any word in the dictionary offline, anytime, anywhere with the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app.
Check pronunciation:
bittern