oscine
[ os-in, -ahyn ]
/ ˈɒs ɪn, -aɪn /
adjective
of, belonging to, or pertaining to the suborder Oscines, of the order Passeriformes, comprising the songbirds that have highly developed vocal organs.
noun
an oscine bird.
Origin of oscine
1880–85,
Americanism; < New Latin
Oscines name of the suborder, equivalent to Latin
oscin- (stem of
oscen) songbird, orig. bird that gives omens by its cry (
o(b)s-, variant of
ob-
ob- +
-cin-, stem of
-cen, noun derivative of
canere to sing) +
-es nominative plural noun suffix
OTHER WORDS FROM oscine
non·os·cine, adjectiveWords nearby oscine
oscillograph,
oscillometer,
oscillometry,
oscillopsia,
oscilloscope,
oscine,
oscitancy,
oscitant,
osco-umbrian,
osculant,
oscular
British Dictionary definitions for oscine
oscine
/ (ˈɒsaɪn, ˈɒsɪn) /
adjective
of, relating to, or belonging to the Oscines, a suborder of passerine birds that includes most of the songbirds
Word Origin for oscine
C17: via New Latin from Latin
oscen singing bird