aberdevine

Meaning

Noun

• The Eurasian siskin or spruce siskin, Spinus spinus, a small green and yellow finch related to the goldfinch.

Origin

• Attested since the mid 1700s, of obscure origin. Richard Coates suggests that it may derive from Welsh aderyn and draenog with substantial phonological modifications. (The alternative form aber-de-vine shows re-interpretation as a French compound with de.)