ostrich English · revision 1021

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈɒs.tɹɪt͡ʃ/, /ˈɒs.tɹɪd͡ʒ/ ''(UK)''; /ˈɔs.tɹɪt͡ʃ/, /ˈɑs.tɹɪt͡ʃ/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|ostrice]], [[bor|fro|ostrusce]] and [[der|la-med|ostrica]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) both from [[la-vul|*avis strūthiō]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) from [[la|avis|t=bird]] and Late Latin ''strūthiō'' “ostrich”,^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) [[der|grc|στρουθίων|tr=strouthíōn|t=ostrich]], from ''strouthòs megálē'' “big sparrow”.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The very large flightless bird of Africa and Arabia (before 1225).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The Greeks also called the bird ''strouthokámēlos'' “camel-sparrow” for its long neck.^(Etymonline) Among its proverbial habits was hiding its head when pursued,^(Etymonline) from which the adjective use and ''ostrich policy'' allude to refusing to face danger or difficulty (1598 attributive);^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate) ''ostrichism'' dates from 1834.^(OED 1989) The name was applied to the South American [[rhea]] (1813).^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1225 – the bird.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1598 – attributive, alluding to hiding one's head.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1813 – the rhea.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1834 – ''ostrichism''.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A large, swift-running [[flightless]] bird, ''Struthio camelus'', of Africa, with a long bare neck, a small head and two-toed feet, the largest living bird.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A [[rhea]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A person who tries to avoid unpleasant facts or situations by refusing to face them.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ostrichlike]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[struthious]]

+ * [[rhea]]

+ * [[emu]]

+ * [[avian]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}