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redbreast

redbreast

1 8.1
A small songbird with a red chest, like the European robin
  • noun
  • /ˈrɛdˌbrɛst/
  • Archaic
translation icon : petirrojo
  • While walking in the garden, I spotted a redbreast perched on a branch, singing beautifully.
  • robin redbreast
  • redbreast sunfish
  • redbreast and the wren

Examples

  • "A robin redbreast in a cage Puts all heaven in a rage"

  • "A robin redbreast in a cage"

  • The robin redbreast and the wren had done their work well.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • Call for the robin redbreast and the wren.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • It is no surprise that so many of them are dedicated to birds (the skylark, the green linnet, the redbreast, etc.).

    Academic text (2017)
  • The European redbreast is known for its cheerful song and bright orange breast.

  • Every spring, the redbreast returns to my backyard, marking the start of the warmer weather.

Synonyms

robin
vsredbreast
  • UK
9 1.0

A small bird that sings with a red or orange breast found in Europe and Asia

is the specifically European small bird with a reddish breast
robin redbreast
vsredbreast
  • UK
1 4.1

A small brown bird with a bright red breast often seen in gardens and woods

is the general species name used beyond garden contexts
Erithacus rubecola
vsredbreast
  • Specialized
9.9

A small bird with a red-orange chest often seen in European gardens

is the common name rather than the formal scientific label
Old World robin
vsredbreast
  • UK
5.0

A small European bird with a red breast that sings and lives in gardens and woods

is the wider common name not limited to Eurasian label
ruddock
vsredbreast
  • Archaic
9.9

A small bird that sings with a red breast often seen in gardens

is the neutral modern common name rather than a poetic label

Compounds

1 4.1

A small brown bird with a bright red breast often seen in gardens and woods

Surface Forms

redbreast singular
redbreasts plural

Morphology

redbreast = red + breast (transparent) = red + breast

The name is a literal compound 'red' + 'breast' describing a bird with a red-coloured breast, easily inferred by learners.

Etymology

Redbreast is made of the simple words red and breast, and breast means 'chest'. So a redbreast is a small bird with a red chest, especially the European robin.