New World oriole
- noun
- /nuː wɜrld ˈɔriˌoʊl/
- US
:
oriol del Nuevo Mundo
- The male New World oriole flaunts its vibrant orange and black feathers as it sings from the treetops.
Examples
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During our hike, we spotted a New World oriole perched on a branch, showcasing its striking plumage.
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In spring, you can often hear the beautiful song of the New World oriole in the gardens.
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(Brave New World Revisited, Huxley, 44-45)
Blog text (24)
Synonyms
7
7.3
A bright bird with orange and black or yellow feathers that sings
A small North American songbird with bright orange or yellow and black feathers
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is compositionally interpretable as an oriole associated with the 'New World' (i.e. the Americas), so a learner who knows 'oriole' and recognizes 'New World' as a regional label can deduce the meaning. However, the literal words 'new' + 'world' can mislead (suggesting a recently discovered or different kind of world) and 'New World' is a conventional geopolitical term that not all B1 learners will know, making the transparency only partial.
Etymology
New World oriole may come from an old word meaning 'golden', because the males are bright orange or yellow, and the part New World shows these birds come from the 'Americas'. So, New World oriole means a brightly colored songbird native to the Americas.