song-bird

A colorful song-bird perches on a slender branch of a blossoming cherry tree and opens its beak to sing.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A bird that sings: "song-bird" refers to any bird that produces a characteristic musical call or song, typically for communication or attracting a mate. This includes many species such as thrushes, warblers, and finches.

Usage Examples

• (A bird that produces a pleasant sound.)
• (Birds that sing, often migrating seasonally.)

Advanced Usage

• "To be a song-bird": used metaphorically to describe a person (often a singer) with a beautiful, melodious voice.
  • She is a true song-bird, her voice enchanting everyone in the concert hall. (A person with a lovely singing voice.)

Variants and Related Words

• Songbird (n): an alternative spelling without the hyphen, more common in modern usage.
  • The songbird perched on the branch and began to sing. (A bird that sings.)
• Birdsong (n): the sound produced by a song-bird.
  • The morning air was filled with birdsong. (The musical calls of song-birds.)

Synonyms

• Singer: a bird that sings; also a person who sings.
• Passerine: a scientific term for perching birds, which include many song-birds.
• Warbler: a specific type of small song-bird known for its trilling calls.

Related Idioms

• "Sing like a song-bird": to sing very well, with a clear and pleasing voice.
  • He sang like a song-bird at the talent show, winning first place. (He performed beautifully.)
• "A song-bird in a cage": a metaphor for someone or something beautiful but confined or restricted.
  • She felt like a song-bird in a cage, trapped in her small town. (A person with potential but limited freedom.)