Word Study
tanager
CIDE DICTIONARY
tanager, n. [NL. tanagra, probably fr. Brazilian tangara.].
Any one of numerous species of bright-colored singing birds belonging to Tanagra , Piranga , and allied genera. The scarlet tanager (Piranga erythromelas ) and the summer redbird (Piranga rubra ) are common species of the United States. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
tanager, n. any small American bird of the subfamily Thraupinae, the male usu. having brightly-coloured plumage.
Etymology
mod.L tanagra f. Tupi tangara
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