bird
/bɜːd/ IELTSAcademic
noun
a warm-blooded animal with feathers, wings, and a beak. Birds usually lay eggs and many can fly.
- I saw a small bird on the balcony.
- Birds sing in the early morning.
- The bird flew over the trees.
Adinary Nuance
Bird is the everyday word for this animal. Use it in general speech, writing, and exams. For a more scientific or broad group term, people may say avian, but that is much less common.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- chim
- Spanish
- pájaro
- Chinese
- 鸟
- Japanese
- 鳥
- Korean
- 새
Etymology
Old English had the word ‘brid’ for a young bird. Over time, English speakers used ‘bird’ for the whole animal group.
Common phrases
bird songbird feedera bird in the handbirds of a feather
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is bird a common word in English?
- Yes. It is a very common everyday word for the animal.
- What is the difference between bird and avian?
- Bird is the normal word. Avian is more formal and scientific.
- Can bird be used in exams and academic writing?
- Yes, when you mean the animal. For science, avian may appear more often.