Cushats

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A species of pigeon known for its soft cooing sound and common presence in woodland areas; a type of bird characterized by its gentle appearance and moderate size; a bird often referenced in poetic or regional contexts for its distinctive gentle call and plump form
2. A woodland pigeon noted for a soft and melodious call; a plump bird belonging to the dove family with characteristic markings; an avian species frequently mentioned in folklore or literature for its peaceful nature and voice
3. A type of bird within the pigeon family notable for a soothing coo; a medium-sized freeliving bird found in wooded habitats; a bird often symbolizing peace and calm, recognized by its soft vocalizations and rounded body shape

Etymology: "Cushats" is the plural of "cushat", the name for the wood pigeon, the large woodland bird of Britain and Europe. The singular goes back to Old English "cūsċeote", which literally means "cow shoot". Nobody is certain why a bird would bear such a name, and the sense of "shoot" that would make it a cow-related term is far from obvious. The word passed into Middle English in several forms, including "cowshott", "cowschote" and "quyshte", which show how loosely its spelling was fixed before printing standardised things. The last of these survives in the doublet "quist", a separate English word from the same root that also named the wood pigeon. Two words sharing one ancestor in this way is a useful reminder that English often holds the same root in more than one shape.

Synonyms: woodpigeons, pigeons, birds