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ostrich

[ aw-strich, os-trich ]

noun

  1. a large, two-toed, swift-footed flightless bird, Struthio camelus, indigenous to Africa and Arabia, domesticated for its plumage: the largest of living birds.
  2. (not used scientifically) a rhea.
  3. a person who attempts to ignore unpleasant facts or situations.


ostrich

/ ˈɒstrɪtʃ /

noun

  1. a fast-running flightless African bird, Struthio camelus, that is the largest living bird, with stout two-toed feet and dark feathers, except on the naked head, neck, and legs: order Struthioniformes See ratite struthious
  2. American ostrich
    another name for rhea
  3. a person who refuses to recognize the truth, reality, etc: a reference to the ostrich's supposed habit of burying its head in the sand


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Other Words From

  • ostrich·like adjective

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Word History and Origins

Origin of ostrich1

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English ostrice, ostriche, from Old French ostrusce (compare French autruche, ) from unattested Vulgar Latin avistrūthius, for Latin avis “bird” + Late Latin strūthiō, from Late Greek strouthíōn; struthious

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Word History and Origins

Origin of ostrich1

C13: from Old French ostrice, from Latin avis bird + Late Latin struthio ostrich, from Greek strouthion

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Example Sentences

I never looked back after I was running, but I threw a rock and think I might have killed an ostrich.

The craziest thing I did was that I had to steal an ostrich egg from an ostrich farm that was close to Mexico.

The bags themselves were covetable items as ever, relying on highest-quality material: ostrich and crocodile.

Long mermaid gowns, dresses with full tulle skirts, and a fluffy ostrich feature coat all drew applause from the crowd.

Thigh-high leather boots… Gucci ostrich skin leather jackets… Horizontally striped posing briefs… More leather jackets...

In the course of your remarks to-night you have happened to mention that peculiar bird the ostrich.

But the Oriental we can't assimilate, for all our ostrich-like digestion, and what we can't assimilate we won't have.

A quart of rings and bracelets on each hand and arm, horseshoe earrings, and a big ostrich fan.

White Moth—strands from an Ostrich, wings from a white Pigeon, a white hackle for legs, and a black head.

Little Black Gnat—dubbed with black strands from an ostrich, wings, light feather from underneath starling's wing.

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Ostravaostrich fern