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Glite Dictionary
Tringa nebularia

Tringa nebularia

9.9
A large wading bird with greenish legs often found in wet places in Europe
  • noun
  • UK
translation icon : aguja colipinta
  • The Tringa nebularia is often observed wading along shallow European lakeshores.

Examples

  • Scientists studied the migration patterns of Tringa nebularia across northern Europe.

  • The Tringa nebularia is often found in wetlands.

  • Birdwatchers were excited to spot a rare Tringa nebularia in the wetland reserve.

  • Have you seen a Tringa nebularia recently?

  • Birdwatchers were excited to spot a rare Tringa nebularia in the wetland reserve.

  • Scientists studied the migration patterns of Tringa nebularia across northern Europe.

  • The Tringa nebularia is often observed wading along shallow European lakeshores.

Synonyms

greenshank
vsTringa nebularia
9.8

A large bird that wades in shallow water with greenish legs and a long bill

is the scientific Latin name for the same species

Surface Forms

Tringa nebularia singular
Tringa nebularia plural

Morphology

Tringa + nebularia

This is a Latin binomial (taxonomic) name rather than a compositional English phrase: knowing 'Tringa' (a bird genus) and an undefined Latin-looking element 'nebularia' does not allow a B1 learner to derive the specific meaning 'large European sandpiper with greenish legs / greenshank'. The components are not standard English morphemes combining to yield the described sense, so the meaning is unpredictable from the parts.

Etymology

Tringa nebularia may come from old words: Tringa was an old name for a wading bird, and nebularia comes from a word meaning 'mist' or 'cloud'. That's why the name suits the greenshank, a grey, long-legged sandpiper often seen at misty lakeshores.