fine-feathered friend
1
6.5
- noun
- Informal
:
pájaro de compañía
- He always talks to his fine-feathered friend as if she can understand him.
Examples
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Every morning, I feed my fine-feathered friend, and she sings beautifully.
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Her parrot is more than a pet—he's truly her fine-feathered friend.
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On Sundays, they take their fine-feathered friend out in the garden for some sunshine.
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When his fine-feathered friend sang in the morning, he always felt cheerful.
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My fine-feathered friend loves to sing in the morning.
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Have you seen my fine-feathered friend today?
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My parrot is my fine-feathered friend who brightens my day with her antics.
Synonyms
46
2.1
A small bright parrot people keep as a pet that forms strong bonds with its mate
36
1.4
A small bird people talk about in a friendly way to children
26
1.8
A small thin bird with a long tail often kept as a pet
21
7.9
A small bird often named by children
1
8.9
A tame bird often kept as a pet that can copy human speech
A small bird like a parakeet that people keep as a pet
A small parrot with a long tail often kept as a pet
A small, slender parrot with a long tail and bright colors
A small bird that adults point out to children
Surface Forms
Morphology
fine-feathered + friend
The phrase is compositionally transparent: 'fine-feathered' can be parsed as 'having fine/attractive feathers' and 'friend' as an affectionate companion, so together they denote an affectionate bird with nice plumage. This is a regular adjective+noun composition (similar to 'feathered friend' or 'winged companion' in other languages), so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words should be able to infer the meaning.
Etymology
The name fine-feathered friend comes from the picture of a bright, well-dressed bird. Because its pretty feathered look and tame ways make it feel like a friend, people use the phrase to mean 'a pet bird' they love.