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Glite Dictionary
Stictopelia cuneata

Stictopelia cuneata

9.9
A small Australian dove with white spots on its wings
  • noun
  • Australian
: Stictopelia cuneata
  • Birdwatchers often travel to Australia to observe the elusive Stictopelia cuneata in its natural habitat.

Examples

  • The Stictopelia cuneata is admired for the white spots on its wings.

  • The gentle calls of the Stictopelia cuneata can be heard at dawn in the outback.

  • The Stictopelia cuneata is often seen in the bushland.

  • Have you ever spotted a Stictopelia cuneata in the wild?

  • Birdwatchers often travel to Australia to observe the elusive Stictopelia cuneata in its natural habitat.

  • The gentle calls of the Stictopelia cuneata can be heard at dawn in the outback.

  • The Stictopelia cuneata is admired for the white spots on its wings.

Surface Forms

Stictopelia cuneata singular
Stictopelia cuneatas plural

Morphology

Stictopelia + cuneata

The binomial combines a bird genus name ('Stictopelia') with a Latin species epithet; a learner who knows the genus can infer it refers to a type of bird but will not derive the precise common name or range. The species epithet 'cuneata' is not lexically transparent to a B1 learner and scientific names function as conventional labels, so the exact meaning is only partly inferable from the constituents.

Etymology

Stictopelia cuneata may come from older Greek and Latin words: Stictopelia from words meaning 'spotted' and 'dove', and cuneata meaning 'wedge-shaped'. The name fits the small Australian diamond dove, with white spots on its wings and a slim, wedge-like tail, so the name describes the bird's look.