Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
mynah bird

mynah bird

1 7.5
A tropical bird from Asia that copies human speech and is often kept as a pet
  • noun
  • /ˈmaɪnə bɜrd/
  • Indian
translation icon : myna
  • People often choose a mynah bird as a pet because of its ability to mimic human speech.
  • a black mynah bird

Examples

  • As the guards escort him out, a black mynah bird squawks loudly from its cage in the corner of the office: MYNAH: CRIME DOES NOT PAY. AAWWK! CRIME DOES NOT PAY. Chuckles all around.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • I'm giving her a mynah bird when she comes back from Europe.

    The Birds (1963)

  • What are you, a mynah bird?

    Drive-Away Dolls (2024)

  • Mynah birds talk, you know.

    The Birds (1963)

  • This will be a full-grown mynah bird.

    The Birds (1963)

  • They said the mynah bird would be here later this afternoon, if you care to come back.

    The Birds (1963)

  • A black mynah bird swoops out of the tunnel, lands on the platform, and struts in front of him.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • On the sidewalk leading to the entrance of the clinic, they ran into a flock of mynah birds quarreling over a piece of bread.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • The mynah bird sat on the windowsill, mimicking the sound of a ringing phone.

  • In the tropical garden, I watched a mynah bird imitate the laughter of children playing nearby.

Synonyms

mina
vsmynah bird
  • UK
5 9.9

A loud Asian bird like a starling often kept as a pet that can copy human speech

focuses on imitation of human speech rather than captivity or loudness
mynah
vsmynah bird
  • Indian
2 8.9

A bird from tropical Asia that often copies human speech

focuses on mimicry as a notable characteristic rather than as only trait
myna
vsmynah bird
1 7.7

A bird like a starling from tropical Asia that makes loud calls and copies sounds

focuses more narrowly on copying human speech rather than loudness
myna bird
vsmynah bird
  • Indian
1 7.3

A tropical Asian bird with glossy black feathers that copies sounds

emphasizes imitation of human speech more than physical appearance
minah
vsmynah bird
  • UK
9.9

A tropical bird that makes loud calls and copies sounds

is the everyday description that highlights human speech imitation

Surface Forms

mynah bird singular
mynah birds plural

Morphology

mynah + bird

The meaning is directly compositional: 'mynah' (a bird that imitates human sounds) combined with 'bird' yields a specific bird known for mimicking speech. This follows standard noun+noun naming patterns and would be predictable to a B1 learner who knows both constituent words.

Etymology

Mynah bird is known for copying human speech and other sounds. One popular story says the word mynah in Asia named these 'talking' birds, so that's why mynah bird refers to a bird that can 'mimic' people.