starling

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: star=ling

CIDE DICTIONARY

starling, n. [OE. sterlyng, a dim. of OE. stare, AS. stær; akin to AS. stearn, G. star, staar, OHG. stara, Icel. starri, stari, Sw. stare, Dan. stær, L. sturnus. Cf. Stare a starling.].

•  Any passerine bird belonging to Sturnus and allied genera. The European starling (Sturnus vulgaris) is dark brown or greenish black, with a metallic gloss, and spotted with yellowish white. It is a sociable bird, and builds about houses, old towers, etc. Called also stare, and starred. The pied starling of India is Sternopastor contra.  [1913 Webster]
•  A California fish; the rock trout.  [1913 Webster]
•  A structure of piles driven round the piers of a bridge for protection and support; -- called also sterling.  [1913 Webster]

Rose-colored starling. (Zoöl.) See Pastor.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

starling, n.
1 a small gregarious partly migratory bird, Sturnus vulgaris, with blackish-brown speckled lustrous plumage, chiefly inhabiting cultivated areas.
2 any similar bird of the family Sturnidae.

starling, n. piles built around or upstream of a bridge or pier to protect it from floating rubbish etc.

Etymology

perh. corrupt. of (now dial.) staddling STADDLE