wheatear
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wheatear¹
- /ˈʍiːtɪəɹ/
- /ˈwiːtɪəɹ/
Where it comes from
Uncertain. Probably a back-formation from Middle English whit ers (“white arse”), after the prominent white rump of many species. Compare dialect forms white rump, white-tail. Possibly a compound of wheat + ear or white + ear. Attested since the seventeenth century as wheat-ears or wheatgear.
noun wheatears · white-ear
- Any of various passerine birds of the genus Oenanthe that feed on insects, What abundance of Hens, Ducks, Geese, Turkeys, Pigeons, and Larks? [...] Maychit, Stint, Sea-Plover, Pewits, Redshanks, Rayles, and Wheat-ears, Herrons, Cranes, Bitterns, Bustards, Puffins, God-wits,
- especially, the northern wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe)
Similar: clodhopper, fallow-chat, fallow-smiter
wheatear²
- /ˈʍiːtɪəɹ/
- /ˈwiːtɪəɹ/
Where it comes from
From Middle English whete-ere, equivalent to wheat + ear.
noun wheatears · white-ear
- An ear of wheat.
- A decorative pattern resembling an ear of wheat.
- An anomalous form of carnation, producing small green ears instead of flowers.
Thesaurus
noun
Similar: clodhopper, fallow-chat, fallow-smiter
Translations
Every language
noun birds of genus Oenanthe
| Español | collalba |
|---|---|
| Français | traquet |
| Deutsch | Steinschmätzer |
| Русский | ка́менка kámenka |
Talk about this word "wheatear." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/wheatear. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. wheatear. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/wheatear "wheatear." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/wheatear.Cite this
@misc{wheatear_2026,
title = {wheatear},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/wheatear},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
