English
liver bird
Liver bird may come from German Löffler ‘spoonbill’.
- Germanc. 1650–presentLöffler‘spoonbill’uncertain
- Englishtodayliver bird
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Germanc. 1650–presentLöffler‘spoonbill’uncertain
- Englishtodayliver bird
The story
The etymology of the first element is uncertain.uncertain The source flags this step as uncertain. However, the word was identified in Randle Holme III's Academie of Armorie (1688) with German Löffler (‘spoonbill’), as well as Low Dutch. Low German) forms cited as "Lepler, or Lepelner, or Lefler". If this etymology is true, it might have been adopted due to the rebus this word made on the name Liverpool.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *leb- ‘to hang down loosely’
la, label, lap, lip, lobe, limp, limbo, labia, labrum, lave, 14 more
Today it means
noun A cormorant-like bird which symbolizes the English city of Liverpool.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / German Löffler / liver bird