Transcription
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
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- [bit-ern]
- /ˈbɪt ərn/
- /ˈbɪt.ən/
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
-
- [bit-ern]
- /ˈbɪt ərn/
Definitions of bittern word
- noun bittern any wading bird of the genera Ixobrychus and Botaurus, related and similar to the herons but with shorter legs and neck, a stouter body, and a booming call: family Ardeidae, order Ciconiiformes 3
- noun bittern the bitter liquid remaining after common salt has been crystallized out of sea water: a source of magnesium, bromine, and iodine compounds 3
- noun bittern any of a subfamily (Botaurinae) of wading birds, including a genus (Botaurus) noted for the resounding, thumping call of the male 3
- noun bittern the bitter liquid left after the crystallization of salt from brine 3
- noun bittern a bitter solution remaining in salt making after the salt has crystallized out of seawater or brine, used as a source of bromides, iodides, and certain other salts. 1
- noun bittern variety of wading bird 1
Information block about the term
Origin of bittern
First appearance:
before 1510 One of the 26% oldest English words
1510-20; bitter, bittor bittern + -n (perhaps by association with heron), Middle English bito(u)r, butur, boto(u)r < Anglo-French bytore, Anglo-French, Old French butor < Vulgar Latin *būtitaurus, equivalent to *būti-, perhaps to be identified with Latin būteō a species of hawk (see buteo) + Latin taurus bull (cited by Pliny as a name for a bird emitting a bellowing sound)
Historical Comparancy
Parts of speech for Bittern
noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
bittern popularity
A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 91% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
This word is included in each student's vocabulary. Most likely there is at least one movie with this word in the title.
bittern usage trend in Literature
This diagram is provided by Google Ngram ViewerTop questions with bittern
- what does bittern mean?
See also
Matching words
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