nightingale English · revision 902

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈnaɪtɪŋɡeɪl/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|nightingale]], an alteration of ''nihtegale'',^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) [[inh|ang|nihtegale]], earlier ''næctigalæ'',^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) a compound formed in Proto-Germanic from ''*nakht-'' “night” and ''*galan'' “to sing”,^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) the latter related to Old English ''giellan'' “to yell”.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) It is related to [[nl|nachtegaal]] and [[de|Nachtigall]].^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) The ''-n-'' inserted in the middle, which appeared in the mid-13th century, has no etymological significance.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The small reddish-brown migratory songbird celebrated for the male's song at night (before 1250);^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995) the Old English form is recorded about 700.^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The name was applied to other birds with fine songs (c. 1710)^(OED 1989) and to persons, especially melodious singers (1500–20), as in the ''Swedish Nightingale'', Jenny Lind.^(OED 1989)^(Wiktionary) ''Dutch nightingale'' was a humorous name for a frog (1769).^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) From Florence Nightingale come the ''nightingale'', a flannel wrap for bedridden patients (1882), and the ''Nightingale ward'' of hospitals (1964).^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 700 – Old English ''næctigalæ''.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * before 1250 – the bird.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * mid-13th century – the inserted ''-n-''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1500–20 – a sweet singer.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1769 – ''Dutch nightingale'', a frog.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A small reddish-brown Old World [[thrush]], ''Luscinia megarhynchos'', noted for the melodious song of the male, often heard at night in the breeding season.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Any of various other birds noted for their sweet song or for singing at night.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(OED 1989)

+ # A person with a beautiful singing voice.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[night]]

+ * [[yell]]

+ * [[philomel]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}