European blackbird
- noun
- UK
:
mirlo
- Unlike its American namesake, the European blackbird is actually a species of thrush.
Examples
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The European blackbird is renowned for its rich and melodious singing at dawn.
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I spotted a male European blackbird with glossy black feathers and a bright yellow beak.
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The European blackbird sings beautifully in the morning.
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A European blackbird was perched on the fence.
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The male European blackbird sings beautifully at dawn, attracting mates with its melodious tune.
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While walking in the park, I spotted a European blackbird perched on a branch, its glossy feathers shining in the sunlight.
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As I watched the garden, a European blackbird hopped along the ground, searching for worms and insects to eat.
Synonyms
8
1.0
A common songbird in Europe with black feathers and a yellow beak
8
9.9
A common black bird in Europe with a yellow beak and a sweet song
1
9.9
A common bird in Europe with all black feathers that sings in gardens
A common European songbird with males black and females brown
A black bird that sings, like a blackbird or ring ouzel
A bird like a blackbird or dipper that lives in Europe and Asia
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is a straightforward noun phrase where 'European' restricts the location/source of the head noun 'blackbird', so the meaning (a blackbird from Europe / the species known as the European blackbird) is directly derivable from the constituents. This compositional, descriptive pattern is cross-linguistically common and should be immediately understandable to a B1 learner who knows both words.
Etymology
European blackbird is called that because the male has shiny, all-black feathers — a black bird seen across Europe. It is a common kind of 'thrush' known for its lovely song, so the name now means the familiar European songbird with black feathers.