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Glite Dictionary
whinchat

whinchat

9.9
A small brown bird in Europe that lives in grassy meadows and sings a clear song
  • noun
  • UK
translation icon : whinchat
  • We spotted a whinchat perched on a fence post near the meadow.

Examples

  • The whinchat is less common in cities than in rural grasslands.

  • During migration, several whinchats stopped to rest in the fields.

  • Look at that whinchat hopping around the meadow!

  • I spotted a whinchat perched on a fence.

  • We spotted a whinchat perched on a fence post near the meadow.

  • Look at that whinchat hopping around the meadow!

  • During migration, several whinchats stopped to rest in the fields.

Synonyms

Saxicola rubetra
vswhinchat
  • Specialized
9.9

A small brown songbird with a pale belly that lives in grassy meadows

refers to the common English name used in everyday speech

Surface Forms

whinchat singular
whinchats plural

Morphology

whinchat = whin + chat (semi-transparent) = whin + chat

Formed by compounding 'whin' (gorse) + 'chat' (a small bird); the structure is transparent but the component 'whin' is rare/obscure for many learners.

Etymology

Whinchat comes from two old parts: whin, meaning 'a low, prickly bush', and chat, a small bird known for its chattering call. So a whinchat is a little bird often seen on bushy, open land and named for its lively, chatty song.