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Glite Dictionary
purple gallinule

purple gallinule

9.9
A bright purple-blue marsh bird with a red bill that lives in marshes
  • noun
  • /ˈpɜrpl ˈɡælɪˌnuːl/
  • Specialized
translation icon : gallinule morada
  • The colorful purple gallinules are vegetarians and often walk lightly over floating lily pads searching for their food.

Examples

  • While canoeing through the wetlands, we were lucky enough to see a purple gallinule perched on a lily pad.

  • "Once Audubon thought he had espied some purple gallinules there, but his exhilaration passed quickly when he realized their little bodies were so mangled that I could not see one fit to draw."

    Academic text (1999)

  • The purple gallinule, with its vibrant blue and purple feathers, can often be seen walking gracefully across the marshes.

  • Spotting a purple gallinule is a treat for bird watchers, as its striking colors stand out against the green foliage.

Synonyms

American gallinule
vspurple gallinule
  • US
9.9

A medium-sized bird in the Americas that lives in marshes with bright feathers and long toes

is the same species but called by a regional alternative name

Surface Forms

purple gallinule singular
purple gallinules plural

Morphology

purple + gallinule

This is a straightforward adjective + noun composition: a learner who knows 'purple' (the color) and 'gallinule' (a small marsh bird) will infer it refers to a gallinule that is purple. The meaning is directly derived from the constituents and follows a common cross-linguistic pattern, so the basic referent is transparent even if the specific species details are unfamiliar.

Etymology

The name purple gallinule may come from the color purple, for its bright purple-blue feathers, and gallinule, an old word meaning 'little hen' because the bird has chicken-like legs and walks among the reeds. That's why the name helps you remember it is a brightly colored marsh bird.