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) |