noun

thrush

A songbird belonging to a family that includes robins.

A thrush sang from the top of the hedge.

Etymology

The Old English bird-name continues in the modern term. It identifies the songbird rather than the unrelated fungal illness.

More examples

  • We watched a thrush search the lawn for worms.
  • The spotted breast helped us identify the thrush.
  • Several thrushes gathered beneath the berry tree.

Forms

thrush · thrushes

Similar words

wren
A wren is a different small songbird; thrushes include robins and many spotted-breasted birds.
robin
The American robin belongs to the thrush family; thrush is the broader bird term.