Dictionary

oscine

adjective os·cine \ˈä-ˌsīn\

Definition of OSCINE

:  of or relating to a large suborder (Oscines) of passerine birds (as larks, shrikes, finches, orioles, and crows) characterized by a vocal apparatus highly specialized for singing
oscine noun
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Origin of OSCINE

New Latin Oscines, suborder name, from Latin, plural of oscin-, oscen songbird, bird giving omens by its cry, from obs-, ob- in front of, in the way + canere to sing — more at ob-, chant
First Known Use: 1883

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