missel thrush
- noun
- /ˈmɪsəl θrʌʃ/
- UK
:
mirlo de muérdago
- Farmers often see missel thrushes feeding on mistletoe berries in winter.
Examples
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The missel thrush was singing loudly at the edge of the forest.
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A pair of missel thrushes nested high in the old oak tree.
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The missel thrush sings beautifully in the morning.
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Have you ever seen a missel thrush in the wild?
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Farmers often see missel thrushes feeding on mistletoe berries in winter.
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The missel thrush was singing loudly at the edge of the forest.
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A pair of missel thrushes nested high in the old oak tree.
Synonyms
A large European bird with a spotted breast that eats mistletoe berries and sings loudly
A large brown songbird with a speckled chest that eats mistletoe berries
A large European bird that eats mistletoe berries
Surface Forms
Morphology
missel + thrush
This is a straightforward noun–noun compound where 'thrush' (a bird) is specified by 'missel' (related to mistletoe), so a learner who knows both constituents can infer it denotes a thrush associated with mistletoe or feeding on mistletoe berries. Although 'missel' is an uncommon spelling and may be unknown to many learners, the compositional pattern is regular and cross-linguistically common, making the expression transparent when its parts are known.
Etymology
Missel thrush gets its name from missel meaning 'mistletoe' and thrush meaning the bird. The bird often eats mistletoe berries in winter, so the name points to this habit.
