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cere

1

[ seer ]

noun

, Ornithology.
  1. a fleshy, membranous covering of the base of the upper mandible of a bird, especially a bird of prey or a parrot, through which the nostrils open.


cere

2

[ seer ]

verb (used with object)

, cered, cer·ing.
  1. Archaic. to wrap in or as if in a cerecloth, especially a corpse.
  2. Obsolete. to wax.

cere

1

/ sɪə /

noun

  1. a soft waxy swelling, containing the nostrils, at the base of the upper beak in such birds as the parrot


cere

2

/ sɪə /

verb

  1. tr to wrap (a corpse) in a cerecloth

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Other Words From

  • cered adjective
  • cereless adjective

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Word History and Origins

Origin of cere1

1480–90; earlier sere, spelling variant of *cere < Medieval Latin cēra literally, wax < Latin

Origin of cere2

1375–1425; late Middle English ceren < Latin cērāre to wax, verbal derivative of cēra wax

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Word History and Origins

Origin of cere1

C15: from Old French cire wax, from Latin cēra

Origin of cere2

C15: from Latin cērāre, from cēra wax

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Example Sentences

Its cere and feet were yellow, and the circle of its eyelids a bright yellow.

When we arrived on the spot, where the Bagh cere-mony was celebrated, the festivity was at its height.

That you may live long to continue your useful labors, and reap the reward in the thankfulness of nations, is my sin cere prayer.

The bill is orange and black, the caruncles on his forehead orange, and the cere orange; the orbits scarlet, and the irides white.

The cere and plainly notched bill of this carving clearly indicate a hawk, of what species it would be impossible to say.

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