Burds

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A Scottish or dialect term referring to feathered vertebrates that typically fly and lay eggs ; may also be used as a poetic or affectionate expression for such creatures
2. Used in certain dialects as an alternate spelling for winged animals with beaks, usually flying and egg-laying ; sometimes found in literature for stylistic effect
3. Representing an archaic or nonstandard form of the word for avian creatures, commonly seen in regional speech ; occasionally invoked to evoke a traditional or folksy tone

Etymology: "Burds" is simply the plural of "burd", a Scots and northern English word for a young woman or lady. Its earlier form was Middle English "berde", meaning "woman, lady, young lady", which may trace back to Old English "byrde" or "ġebyrde", "of noble birth", itself linked to "byrd" or "ġebyrd", meaning "birth". The Old English origins are uncertain, and one possibility is an unrecorded "byrde" meaning "embroideress". The "burd" to "bird" connection is one of the most striking shifts here. Because "burd" and "bird" were pronounced similarly in some dialects, the spelling "bird" for a young woman is thought to be a variant of the same word, and it may be the source of the English slang "bird" for a young woman. The meaning of the word that now names feathered creatures came from a separate Old English word, "brid", for a young bird or nestling, so the two words are not related in that older sense.

Synonyms: birds, fowls, avian creatures, songbirds, raptors