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Glite Dictionary
ruby-throat

ruby-throat

8.6
A small hummingbird with a bright red throat
  • noun
  • /ˈruːbiˌθroʊt/
  • US
translation icon : colibrí garganta rubí
  • The male ruby-throat is easy to spot because of its vivid red coloring.

Examples

  • We watched a ruby-throat dart quickly from blossom to blossom collecting nectar.

  • I saw a ruby-throat in my garden yesterday.

  • A ruby-throat hovered near the flowers in the garden.

  • The ruby-throat is a stunning bird.

  • The male ruby-throat is easy to spot because of its vivid red coloring.

  • A ruby-throat hovered near the flowers in the garden.

  • We watched a ruby-throat dart quickly from blossom to blossom collecting nectar.

Synonyms

Archilochus colubris
vsruby-throat
  • Specialized
9.9

A small North American bird with a bright red throat that hovers near flowers

is the common name used generally, highlighting the male's bright red throat

Surface Forms

ruby-throat singular
ruby-throats plural

Morphology

ruby-throat = ruby + throat (transparent) = ruby + throat

A straightforward descriptive compound: a bird with a red (ruby-like) throat, directly inferable from its parts.

Etymology

Ruby-throat is a very literal name: ruby means 'red gem' and throat means 'front of the neck', so the bird is named for the male's bright red patch on its throat. That's why a ruby-throat is a hummingbird known for its red throat.