gavia

Meaning

common gull and seagull (any kind of gull, generically a kind of bird)

Concepts

seagull

gull

Synonyms

larus

Translations

Möwe

gaivota

gaviota

mouette

gabbiano

meeuw

zeemeeuw

gavina

γλάρος

martı

Möwenvogel

gavian

نَوْرَس

Pronounced as (IPA)

[ˈɡaː.wi.a]

Etymology

Of uncertain origin.
One theory, preferred by De Vaan, derives the word from Proto-Indo-European *gowh₂-i- (“shouter”), seemingly from either *geH- (“to sing, cry”) or *gewH- (“to call, cry out”), and adduces as cognates Sanskrit गु (gu, “to proclaim”), Ancient Greek γοάω (goáō, “to groan, weep”), Proto-Slavic *gȍvorъ (“grumble, talk”), and perhaps Old English ċīeġan (“to call”). He also mentions an alternative connection to gaius (“jaybird”), via an independent onomatopoeic root in Proto-Italic *gā̆-.
Another theory derives the word from Proto-Indo-European *gʰabʰl- (“fork, branch of tree”) (due to the similarity of a hawk's claws to a pitchfork), from *gʰeh₁bʰ- (“to grab, take”); compare Old High German gabila, gabala (“sparrow hawk”).