starling

Meaning

Noun

• A family, Sturnidae, of passerine birds.
• A structure of pilings that protects the piers of a bridge.
• A California fish, the rock trout (Hexagrammos), especially, Hexagrammos decagrammus (species), the boregat or bodieron.

Origin

• From Middle English starling, sterling, sterlinge, from Old English starlinc, stærlinc, from stær + -ling. Cognate with Middle Dutch sterlinck ("starling").