Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. Any of various birds of the family Paradisaeidae, native to New Guinea and adjacent islands, usually having brilliant plumage and long tail feathers in the male.
- n. Any of several southern African herbs of the genus Strelitzia, especially S. reginae, having orange and blue flowers grouped above a boat-shaped bract.
Wiktionary
- n. Any of various passerine birds of the family Paradisaeidae native to Oceania. In many of the species the breeding plumage of the males is brightly coloured.
- n. A showy tropical flower of the genus Strelitzia, native to Madagascar.
GNU Webster's 1913
- The name of several very beautiful birds of the genus Paradisea and allied genera, inhabiting New Guinea and the adjacent islands. The males have brilliant colors, elegant plumes, and often remarkable tail feathers.
WordNet 3.0
- n. a tropical flowering shrub having bright orange or red flowers; sometimes placed in genus Poinciana
- n. any of numerous brilliantly colored plumed birds of the New Guinea area
- n. ornamental plant of tropical South Africa and South America having stalks of orange and purplish-blue flowers resembling a bird
Examples
“A gay-looking carriage stopped at the door as she reached it, and a lovely creature, radiant with smiles and bird of paradise plumes, sprang out, before the two solemn footmen could let down the steps for descent.”
“Two young nobles, splendidly robed, who also bore gold vases, lotos-shaped, in which nestled the bird of paradise called Nok Kurraweèk, the sweetness of whose song is supposed to entrance even beasts of prey.”
The English Governess at the Siamese Court
“Those commodities included pearl shell and dried sea cucumber as well as bird of paradise skins and other rare items, and a voyage out to Aru could be the central event of a Buginese trader’s lifetime, like a Moslem’s long pilgrimage to Mecca.”
“Another handsome creature of olive green with blue wavy stripes and spots (FISTULARIS SERRATUS) has the shape of a gar-fish, and to counterbalance a long tubular snout, a slender filament resembling the bare feather shaft of some bird of paradise extending from the tail.”
“She knew this was true of the quilt Hinano had designed for her, and that, perhaps without realizing it, he had captured the meaning and purpose of her journey and all the blessings it had bestowed upon her in every bird of paradise blossom he had drawn, in every graceful curve and elegant point of his pattern.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘bird of paradise’.
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Bird birds
Birds that have the word bird in their names. (This list also includes some general descriptions of certain kinds of birds - wading birds, water birds, &c.) For other bird-related fun (especially p...
blackbird, bluebird, bird of paradise, tropicbird, boatswain bird, secretary bird, millerbird, frigatebird, surfbird, kingbird, catbird, bellbird and 69 more...
reesetee In PA Dutch hex signs, the Bird of Paradise symbolizes the beauty, wonder, and mystery of life. Nov 21, 2007