nightingale

Meaning

Noun

• A European songbird, Luscinia megarhynchos, of the family Muscicapidae.
• A kind of flannel scarf with sleeves, formerly worn by invalids when sitting up in bed.

Related

Similar words

• philomel

Origin

• From Middle English nyghtyngale, nightingale, niȝtingale, alteration (with intrusive n) of nyghtgale, nightegale, from Old English nihtegala, nihtegale, from Proto-West Germanic *nahtigalā ("nightingale"), equivalent to night + gale. Cognate with Saterland Frisian Noachtegoal ("nightingale"), Dutch nachtegaal ("nightingale"), German Low German Nachtigall ("nightingale"), German Nachtigall ("nightingale"), Danish nattergal ("nightingale"), Swedish näktergal ("nightingale"), Icelandic næturgali ("nightingale").
• Named after Florence Nightingale.