whydah

or whid·ah

[ hwid-uh, wid-uh ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

any of several small African finches of the subfamily Viduinae, the males of which have elongated, drooping tail feathers during the breeding season.
any of several African weaverbirds of the genus Euplectes, the males of which have similar long tails.

whydah

/ ˈwɪdə /

any of various predominantly black African weaverbirds of the genus Vidua and related genera, the males of which grow very long tail feathers in the breeding season Also calledwhydah birdwhidah birdwidow bird

Origin of whydah¹

1775–85; alteration of widow ( bird ) to make name agree with that of a town in Benin, West Africa, one of its haunts

Origin of whydah¹

C18: after the name of a town in Benin

It should be noted, however, that their size generally exceeds that of the largest serpents which Dr. Rpin saw at Whydah.

The neighboring tribes, proud and ambitious, overran the country, and swept Whydah and adjacent places with the torch and spear.

They stood at the door of a house—habitations in Whydah are not properly described as huts.

Whydah, its seaward outlet, was one of the ports where the slavers were loaded with their human cargoes.

Travelers have brought back accounts of the curious serpent house at Whydah.

April 23, 2024inveterate

[in-vet-er-it ]

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