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Glite Dictionary
Threskiornis aethiopica

Threskiornis aethiopica

9.9
A white African bird with a long curved beak and a black head and neck
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Threskiornis aethiopica
  • The striking black-and-white feathers of the Threskiornis aethiopica make it easy to recognize.

Examples

  • You can spot the Threskiornis aethiopica wading in shallow waters along the Nile.

  • Did you know that the Threskiornis aethiopica was revered in ancient Egypt?

  • The ancient Egyptians often mummified the Threskiornis aethiopica as part of their religious rituals.

  • The Threskiornis aethiopica is often found near wetlands.

  • The ancient Egyptians often mummified the Threskiornis aethiopica as part of their religious rituals.

  • You can spot the Threskiornis aethiopica wading in shallow waters along the Nile.

  • Did you know that the Threskiornis aethiopica was revered in ancient Egypt?

Synonyms

sacred ibis
vsThreskiornis aethiopica
  • South African
9.9

A large white wading bird from Africa with a bare black head and neck, often shown in ancient Egyptian art

is the scientific species name used instead of the common name

Surface Forms

Threskiornis aethiopica singular
Threskiornis aethiopicas plural

Morphology

Threskiornis + aethiopica

This is a Linnaean (Latin) binomial; even if a learner knew 'Threskiornis' as a type of bird, the second element 'aethiopica' is not a common English word (not in the dictionary) and the full species identity and cultural/historical associations are specialized knowledge. The meaning 'a particular African white ibis historically venerated by ancient Egyptians' is not transparently derivable from the constituent forms for a B1 learner, so the expression is opaque.

Etymology

Threskiornis aethiopica may come from old words meaning 'worship' (for Threskiornis) and 'from Ethiopia' (for aethiopica) because these white ibises were often thought to be sacred by the ancient Egyptians and even mummified. So the name helps you remember it as a 'sacred bird from Africa'.