Birdy

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈbɝdi/

Definitions

1. A descriptor for traits linked to flying creatures
2. Having qualities or features that are typical of birds or birdlike creatures
3. Displaying behavior or traits often associated with birds, such as chirping or fluttering

Etymology: "Birdy" is a plain suffixed formation: the noun "bird" with the English adjective-forming suffix "-y", which means "having the qualities of" or "characterised by" whatever the base word names. So "birdy" describes something that has the traits of a bird, like a creature that is flighty, chirping, or feathery in manner. The base word has a longer history than the suffix. "Bird" descends from Old English "bridd", which originally meant a young bird or nestling, and only gradually broadened to cover birds in general. The suffix comes from Old English "-iġ", which carried the same sense of "full of" or "like," and it passed through Middle English "-y" into modern English. Because "-y" is so productive, it attaches easily to many nouns, which is why it has produced everyday adjectives like "bony," "sandy," and "dusky" alongside rarer ones like this.