Etymology Map
Back to all words

Bird

3 stages from Old English to English.

Today it means a feathered, winged, egg-laying animal

Where does the word "bird" come from? It comes from Old English bridd, passing through Middle English before entering English (1500s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
bridd
Old English · 1000s
"young bird"
meant a young bird or chick; the general word was 'fugol', fowl
2
Stage 2 of 3
brid / bird
Middle English · 1300s
"young bird, bird"
the 'r' and 'i' swapped places, just as Old English 'thridda' became 'third'
3
Stage 3 of 3
bird
English · 1500s
"any bird"
replaced 'fowl' as the general word, and 'fowl' narrowed to poultry
Drag to pan · scroll to zoom
Read the full story

Bird’s story begins in Old English: bridd meant “young bird.” Meant a young bird or chick; the general word was 'fugol', fowl. By 1300s, the word had taken hold in Middle English as brid / bird. The 'r' and 'i' swapped places, just as Old English 'thridda' became 'third'. It reached English by 1500s as bird. Replaced 'fowl' as the general word, and 'fowl' narrowed to poultry. Today, bird means a feathered, winged, egg-laying animal.