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Word Study
bitterful |
bittering |
bitterish |
bitterling |
bitterly |
Bittern
| bitterness
| bitternut
| bitternut hickory
| bitterroot
| bitters
Bittern
WORDNET DICTIONARY
Noun Bittern has 1 sense
- bittern(n = noun.animal) Array - relatively small compact tawny-brown heron with nocturnal habits and a booming cry; found in marshes; Array is a kind of heron
has particulars: american bittern, botaurus lentiginosus, stake driver, botaurus stellaris, european bittern, ixobrychus exilis, least bittern
CIDE DICTIONARY
Bittern, n. [OE. bitoure, betore, bitter, fr. F. butor; of unknown origin.].
A wading bird of the genus Botaurus , allied to the herons, of various species. [1913 Webster]
" The common European bittern is Botaurus stellaris . It makes, during the brooding season, a noise called by Dryden bumping, and by Goldsmith booming. The American bittern is Botaurus lentiginosus , and is also called stake-driver and meadow hen . See Stake-driver ."
[1913 Webster]
"The name is applied to other related birds, as the least bittern (Ardetta exilis ), and the sun bittern ."
[1913 Webster]
- The brine which remains in salt works after the salt is concreted, having a bitter taste from the chloride of magnesium which it contains. [1913 Webster]
- A very bitter compound of quassia, cocculus Indicus, etc., used by fraudulent brewers in adulterating beer. Cooley. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
Bittern, n.
1 any of a group of wading birds of the heron family, esp. of the genus Botaurus with a distinctive booming call.
2 Chem. the liquid remaining after the crystallization of common salt from sea water.
1 any of a group of wading birds of the heron family, esp. of the genus Botaurus with a distinctive booming call.
2 Chem. the liquid remaining after the crystallization of common salt from sea water.
Etymology
ME f. OF butor ult. f. L butio bittern + taurus bull; - n perh. f. assoc. with HERON
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