Adjacent Words

Nightingale definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

NIGHTINGALE, n.
1. A small bird that sings at night, of the genus Motacilla; Philomela or Philomel.
2. A word of endearment.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: European songbird noted for its melodious nocturnal song [syn: nightingale, Luscinia megarhynchos]
2: English nurse remembered for her work during the Crimean War (1820-1910) [syn: Nightingale, Florence Nightingale, Lady with the Lamp]

Merriam Webster's

noun Etymology: Middle English, alteration of Old English nihtegale, from niht + galan to sing — more at yell Date: 13th century an Old World thrush (Luscinia megarhynchos syn. Erithacus megarhynchos) noted for the sweet usually nocturnal song of the male; also any of various other birds noted for their sweet song or for singing at night

Merriam Webster's

biographical name Florence 1820-1910 English nurse & philanthropist

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. any small reddish-brown bird of the genus Luscinia, esp. L. megarhynchos, of which the male sings melodiously, esp. at night. Etymology: OE nihtegala (whence obs. nightgale) f. Gmc: for -n- cf. FARTHINGALE

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Nightingale Night"in*gale, n. [OE. nihtegale,nightingale, AS. nihtegale; niht night + galan to sing, akin to E. yell; cf. D. nachtegaal, OS. nahtigala, OHG. nahtigala, G. nachtigall, Sw. n["a]ktergal, Dan. nattergal. See Night, and Yell.] 1. (Zo["o]l.) A small, plain, brown and gray European song bird (Luscinia luscinia). It sings at night, and is celebrated for the sweetness of its song. 2. (Zo["o]l.) A larger species (Lucinia philomela), of Eastern Europe, having similar habits; the thrush nightingale. The name is also applied to other allied species. Mock nightingale. (Zo["o]l.) See Blackcap, n., 1 (a) .

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(nightingales) A nightingale is a small brown bird. The male, which can be heard at night, sings beautifully. N-COUNT

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. Philomel, philomela, rossigno, (Philomela luscinia).

1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue

A soldier who, as the term is, sings out at the halberts. It is a point of honour in some regiments, among the grenadiers, never to cry out, become nightingales, whilst under the discipline of the cat of nine tails; to avoid which, they chew a bullet.