Osprey

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈɑspɹi/

Definitions

1. A large fish-eating bird of prey with dark upper parts and white underparts, equipped with sharp talons and the ability to dive into water to catch its food
2. A large predatory waterfowl with dark plumage above and pale coloring below, possessing specialized talons and diving capabilities to hunt aquatic prey
3. A raptorial bird characterized by contrasting dark and light feathers, sharp-clawed feet, and an adaptation for plunging into water to capture fish

Etymology: The osprey is a bird whose name began as a mistake about a different bird. Medieval Latin used the phrase "avis praedae," meaning "bird of prey," as a general term for any hunting bird. In Old French, that phrase seems to have blurred with "ossifrage," the name of a large, bone-breaking bird of prey, and the result was a word that came to be pinned on this specific fish-eating hawk. The word passed into English in Late Middle English as "ospray," from Anglo-Norman "ospriet." The early form kept the sense of a predatory bird in general, and the fish-eating meaning narrowed onto it over time. The final "-e" was eventually dropped, and the spelling "osprey" settled in its place.

Synonyms: fish hawk, Pandion haliaetus