meadowlark
UK[ˈmedəʊlɑːk]US[ˈmedoʊlɑːrk]
n
A common North American songbird of the blackbird family, typically having a brown streaky back, a yellow breast with a black V-shaped band, and a melodious song.
Morpheme Breakdown
meadow
lark
meadow
lark
Etymology
The word 'meadowlark' is a transparent English compound, formed by directly combining two native Old English elements. The first element, 'meadow', identifies the bird's preferred habitat of open grasslands and pastures. The second element, 'lark', is borrowed from the name of a different but similarly celebrated songbird of open country, applied here due to shared ecological and behavioral traits. Thus, the name literally means "a lark of the meadows," efficiently describing both where it lives and its songbird nature, despite the meadowlark being taxonomically an icterid (blackbird) rather than an alaudid (true lark).
Analysis
Structure: meadow + lark
meadow: From Old English 'mǣdwe', the oblique case of 'mǣd' (meadow, pasture). A noun denoting a piece of grassland, especially one used for hay.
lark: From Old English 'lāferce', 'lāwerce' (lark, songbird). A noun denoting a small ground-dwelling songbird known for its melodious flight song.
Examples
The melodic song of the Western Meadowlark is a familiar sound across the prairies.
We spotted a meadowlark perched on a fence post, its bright yellow breast clearly visible.
Conservation efforts aim to protect the grassland habitats essential for the meadowlark's survival.