Mavis

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A small migratory bird of the thrush family known for its melodious song; often referred to in poetry and folklore as a symbol of spring and renewal; a rare or poetic term for the common song thrush
2. A songbird typically characterized by its brown-spotted plumage and rich singing voice; frequently mentioned in literature as an emblem of natural beauty and the arrival of warmer seasons; an old-fashioned name for a well-known species of thrush found in woodlands
3. A bird species notable for its sweet and clear singing, belonging to a group of thrushes; used historically in English poetry to evoke pastoral imagery; a traditional term describing a thrush recognized for its lyrical calls in the countryside

Etymology: The name "mavis" for the song thrush came into English from Anglo-Norman "mauvis", itself taken from Old French "mauvis", the French word for this bird. Its earlier English form was "mavys", which shows the word arrived as a regular bird name rather than as a poetic coinage. Thrushes were common and widely known in medieval England, so a French name for one of them found its way into everyday speech. The word is a borrowing, and it is one of those names that stayed in use for a single bird long after most other French-derived animal names faded. Today it survives mainly in literature and in older rural vocabulary, where it still calls up the song thrush's brown-speckled plumage and its loud, melodious song.

Synonyms: thrush, songbird, redwing, fieldfare, blackbird