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whidah

 - 4 dictionary results

whid⋅ah

[hwid-uh, wid-uh]
–noun
whydah.

whyd⋅ah

[hwid-uh, wid-uh]
–noun
1. any of several small African finches of the subfamily Viduinae, the males of which have elongated, drooping tail feathers during the breeding season.
2. any of several African weaverbirds of the genus Euplectes, the males of which have similar long tails.
Also, whidah.
Also called widow bird.


Origin:
1775–85; alter. of widow ( bird ) to make name agree with that of a town in Benin, West Africa, one of its haunts
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To whidah
whid·ah   (hwĭd'ə, wĭd'ə)   
n.  Variant of whydah.
whyd·ah also whid·ah   (hwĭd'ə, wĭd'ə)   
n.  Any of several African weaverbirds of the genus Vidua, the male of which grows long, drooping, predominantly black tail feathers during the breeding season. Also called widow bird.

[Probably alteration of widow (bird).]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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