Nightingale \Night"in*gale\, n. [OE. nihtegale,nightingale, AS. nihtegale; niht night + galan to sing, akin to E. yell; cf. D. nachtegaal, OS. nahtigala, OHG. nahtigala, G. nachtigall, Sw. n["a]ktergal, Dan. nattergal. See Night, and Yell.]

1. (Zo["o]l.) A small, plain, brown and gray European song bird (Luscinia luscinia). It sings at night, and is celebrated for the sweetness of its song.

2. (Zo["o]l.) A larger species (Lucinia philomela), of Eastern Europe, having similar habits; the thrush nightingale. The name is also applied to other allied species.

Mock nightingale. (Zo["o]l.) See Blackcap, n., 1
   (a) .

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)