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Glite Dictionary
New World jay

New World jay

7.1
A bird often with bright blue or gray feathers that lives in North and Central America
  • noun
  • /nuː wɜrld dʒeɪ/
  • US
translation icon : arrendajo del Nuevo Mundo
  • Unlike their Eurasian relatives, New World jays are commonly found in American woodlands and backyards.

Examples

  • The bright blue feather of a New World jay caught the hiker's attention as he walked through the forest.

  • Many birdwatchers enjoy spotting New World jays in the wild.

  • Ornithologists often compare the behavior of New World jay species with those of Old World jays.

  • The New World jay is known for its vibrant colors.

  • The bright blue feather of a New World jay caught the hiker's attention as he walked through the forest.

  • Ornithologists often compare the behavior of New World jays with those of their Eurasian counterparts.

  • Many birdwatchers enjoy spotting New World jays in the wild.

Surface Forms

New World jay singular
New World jays plural

Morphology

new + world + jay

The noun 'jay' (a bird) is transparent, but the compound 'New World' is a conventional proper name for the Americas rather than a literal composition of 'new' + 'world.' Many learners who know the phrase 'New World' will immediately infer 'a jay native to the Americas,' but an average B1 learner who only knows the individual words may not recognize this fixed geographical sense without prior exposure.

Etymology

New World jay comes from early explorers who called the Americas the New World. A jay is a bright, noisy bird, so the name means a jay from the Americas instead of the 'Old World'.