ornithology

noun

or·​ni·​thol·​o·​gy ˌȯr-nə-ˈthä-lə-jē How to pronounce ornithology (audio)
plural ornithologies
1
: a branch of zoology dealing with birds
2
: a treatise on ornithology
ornithological adjective
or less commonly ornithologic
ornithologically adverb
ornithologist noun

Examples of ornithology in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The year was 1924, and Allen was an energetic ornithology professor at Cornell University, about to take a sabbatical. Tim Gallagher, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Nov. 2024 The lab’s work soon attracted the attention of ornithology researchers at Cornell. Rivka Galchen, The New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2024 In 1933, his father lost his job, a development that might have prevented Calhoun from attending college, had ornithology not intervened. Elizabeth Kolbert, The New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2024 Cornell University’s ornithology lab, one of the leading sources of bird information in the U.S., advises keeping all outdoor pets contained in an enclosure with a roof to keep them safe from birds of prey and other hazards. Natalie Wallington, Kansas City Star, 10 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for ornithology 

Word History

Etymology

New Latin ornithologia, from ornith- + -logia -logy

First Known Use

1654, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ornithology was in 1654

Dictionary Entries Near ornithology

Cite this Entry

“Ornithology.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ornithology. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

ornithology

noun
or·​ni·​thol·​o·​gy ˌȯr-nə-ˈthäl-ə-jē How to pronounce ornithology (audio)
: a branch of zoology dealing with birds

More from Merriam-Webster on ornithology

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!