English

gaolbird

From gaol + bird.

A compound of gaol + bird

Proto-Italic *kawos

…

Latin cavea ‘cavity, coop, cage’

Late Latin caveola ‘little cage’

Medieval Latin gabiola

Middle English gayole ‘jail, prison’

English gaol

Old English bridd ‘chick’

Middle English bird

English bird

Today it means

noun Dated spelling of jailbird.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / gaolbird