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Glite Dictionary
bush shrike

bush shrike

9.9
A medium-sized colorful bird that lives in bushes and whistles
  • noun
  • South African
translation icon : buitre de arbusto
  • We spotted a colorful bush shrike perched among the dense foliage.

Examples

  • The rare bush shrike is known for its distinctive, whistling song.

  • Many bush shrikes can be found in Tanzania.

  • Many bush shrikes are difficult to observe due to their secretive habits.

  • The bush shrike sang beautifully at dawn.

  • The rare bush shrike is known for its distinctive, whistling song.

  • We spotted a colorful bush shrike perched among the dense foliage.

  • Many bush shrikes are difficult to observe due to their secretive habits.

Surface Forms

bush shrike singular
bush shrikes plural

Morphology

bush + shrike

The compound combines a habitat noun 'bush' with the species noun 'shrike' to denote a shrike associated with or living in bushes; the overall meaning (a bush-dwelling shrike) is directly predictable from the parts. This noun+noun composition for subtypes or habitat is common across languages and follows a transparent compositional pattern that a B1 learner who knows both words would readily understand.

Etymology

The name bush shrike comes from two simple words: bush and shrike. These shrike-like birds live in thick bushes and are often hard to see, so the name tells both their home and what kind of bird they are.