oscine
1
9.9
- noun
- /ˈɑːsɪn/
- Specialized
- The oscine is known for its beautiful melodies, which can vary greatly among species.
- oscine songbirds
Examples
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Many ornithologists study oscine birds to understand their complex vocalizations.
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DIAGRAM: Figure 1. Some of the brain regions that control song production and song learning in oscine songbirds.
Academic text (1994) -
During spring, the male oscines sing to attract mates and establish territory.
Synonyms
11
2.3
A small bird, like a canary, that makes pleasant musical sounds
1
6.7
A bird that makes clear, pleasant sounds
1
9.5
A bird that makes complex songs with a special part in its throat
Compounds
Surface Forms
Morphology
oscine = osc + ine
Although the suffix '-ine' is a productive adjective/noun-forming element, the root 'osc-' is not a recognizable English base, so the meaning 'a songbird' is not transparently inferable from the parts by an average learner.
Etymology
Oscine originally named birds that sing and comes from a Latin word connected with 'singer', so an oscine is simply a 'songbird'.