mistle thrush
- noun
- /ˈmɪsəl θrʌʃ/
- UK
:
zorzal del muérdago
- At breakfast, the loud, melancholy song of the mistle thrush was already echoing from the top of the walnut tree.
Examples
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In winter, the mistle thrush feasts on the bright red berries of the mistletoe, which are its favorite food.
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The mistle thrush is known for its distinct speckled breast, making it easy to identify among other birds.
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While walking in the garden, I spotted a beautiful mistle thrush perched on a branch, singing its enchanting melody.
Synonyms
A large European bird that eats mistletoe berries
A large European songbird with a spotted belly that eats mistletoe berries and sings loudly
A large European bird with a spotted breast that eats mistletoe berries and sings loudly
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound combines 'mistle' (mistletoe) with 'thrush' (a songbird), so the referent—a thrush associated with or feeding on mistletoe berries—is directly derivable from the parts. Although 'mistle' is somewhat archaic, the noun+noun naming pattern is compositional and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can infer the meaning.
Etymology
Mistle thrush: The name mistle thrush comes from the bird's habit of eating and spreading berries from the plant mistle, called 'mistletoe', and from the fact that it is a thrush, a big, noisy songbird. That's why the name links the plant and the bird today.
