starling

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. Any of various Old World passerine birds of the family Sturnidae, characteristically having a short tail, pointed wings, and dark, often iridescent plumage, especially Sturnus vulgaris, widely naturalized in North America.
2. n. A protective structure of pilings surrounding a pier of a bridge.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. An oscine passerine bird, of the family Sturnidæ and genus Sturnus, as S. vulgaris of Europe. The common starling or stare is one of the best-known of British birds. It is 8½ inches long when adult; black, of metallic luster, iridescing dark-green on some parts, and steel-blue, purplish, or violet on others, and variegated nearly throughout with pale-buff or whitish tips of the feathers. The wings and tail are duller-black, the exposed parts of the feathers frosted or silvered, with velvety-black and buff edgings. The bill is yellowish, and the feet are reddish. Immature, winter, and female birds are less lustrous, and more variegated with the ochery- or tawny-brown, and have the bill dark-colored. Starlings live much about buildings, and nest in holes of walls, crannies of rock, openings in hollow trees, etc. They are sociable and gregarious. sometimes going in large flocks. They are often caged, readily tamed, and may be taught to whistle tunes, and even to articulate words. The name starling is extended to all birds of the family Sturnidæ, and some others of the sturnoid series; also, erroneously, to the American birds of the family Icteridæ, sometimes known collectively as American starlings. The last belong to a different series, having only nine primaries, etc. The bird with which the name is specially connected in this sense is Agelæus phœniceus, the common marsh-blackbird, often called red-winged starling. The name of meadow-starling is often applied to Sturnella magna. See also cuts under Agelæinæ and meadow-lark.
2. n. One of a breed of domestic pigeons which in color resemble the starling.
3. n. Same as rock-trout,2.
4. n. In hydraulic engineering, an inclosure like a coffer-dam, formed of piles driven closely together, before any work or structure as a protection against the wash of the waves. A supplementary structure of the same kind placed before a starling to resist ice is called a fore-starling. See cut under ice-apron.
5. n. One of the piles used in forming such a breakwater.
6. n. An obsolete form of sterling.

Wiktionary

1. n. A gregarious passerine bird, of the family Sturnidae, having dark, iridescent plumage
2. n. A structure of pilings that protects the piers of a bridge
3. n. A California fish; the rock trout.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. (Zoöl.) Any passerine bird belonging to Sturnus and allied genera. The European starling (Sturnus vulgaris) is dark brown or greenish black, with a metallic gloss, and spotted with yellowish white. It is a sociable bird, and builds about houses, old towers, etc. Called also stare, and starred. The pied starling of India is Sternopastor contra.
2. n. (Zoöl.) A California fish; the rock trout.
3. n. A structure of piles driven round the piers of a bridge for protection and support; -- called also sterling.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. gregarious birds native to the Old World