secretary bird
noun
a large, long-legged, raptorial bird, Sagittarius serpentarius, of Africa, that feeds on reptiles.
Origin of secretary bird
1790–1800; < French
secrétaire, perhaps by folk etymology < Sudanese Arabic
ṣagr al-ṭēr, equivalent to
ṣagr hawk +
al the +
ṭēr birds (collective)
Words nearby secretary bird
secretagogue,
secretaire,
secretarial,
secretariat,
secretary,
secretary bird,
secretary of defense,
secretary of state,
secretary-general,
secrete,
secretin
Example sentences from the Web for secretary bird
"So you see how it was," I said at last, dropping my voice as Weston, the secretary-bird passed.
In Accordance with the Evidence |Oliver Onions"Yes—er—he's quite well again now—quite on his feet again," said the secretary-bird.
In Accordance with the Evidence |Oliver Onions
British Dictionary definitions for secretary bird
secretary bird
noun
a large African long-legged diurnal bird of prey, Sagittarius serpentarius, having a crest and tail of long feathers and feeding chiefly on snakes: family Sagittariidae, order Falconiformes (hawks, falcons, etc)
Word Origin for secretary bird
C18: so called because its crest resembles a group of quill pens stuck behind the ear