Wodewale

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An obsolete English name for the golden oriole, a brightly yellow songbird with black wings
2. Archaic term for the golden oriole, a bird with vivid yellow plumage found in Europe and Asia
3. A old word for the golden oriole, a striking yellow-and-black bird known for its flute-like song

Etymology: "Wodewale" is an Old English compound, "wudewāle," made from "wudu," meaning "wood," and a second element, "wāl," whose origin is uncertain. It named the golden yellow songbird that the Romans called "oriolus." English speakers had their own name for the bird long before they borrowed a Latin one. The Latin "oriolus" is probably related to "aureolus," meaning "golden," a reference to the male's bright yellow plumage. English eventually adopted the Latin-derived "oriole," and the native "wodewale" faded out of use. The name survives in dialect forms such as "woodwale" and "woodwall" in some regional English.