shrike

Meaning

Any of various passerine birds of the family Laniidae which are known for their habit of catching other birds and small animals and impaling the uneaten portions of their bodies on thorns.

Synonyms

butcherbird

cuckoo

pelican

common fiscal

nine-killer

Translations

Würger

pie-grièche

alcaudón

Lanius

klauwier

averla

laniidés

picanço

örümcekkuşu

escorxador

verdugo

capsot

capsigrany

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ʃɹaɪk/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: *schrike

Inherited from Old English: sċrīc

Cognate with Icelandic: skríkja

Cognate with Swedish: skrika

In summary

From Middle English *schrike, *schryke, from Old English sċrīc (“shrike, thrush”), from the same root as shriek and screech, named after the bird's cry. Compare Icelandic skríkja (“shrieker, shrike”), Swedish skrika (“jay”).