English

snakebird

From snake + bird, from its snake-like neck.

A compound of snake + bird

Proto-Germanic *sneganą ‘to crawl, creep’

…

Proto-West Germanic *snakan ‘to creep, slide’

Proto-West Germanic *snakō ‘slider, snake’

Old English snaca ‘snake, serpent, reptile’

Middle English snake

English snake

Old English bridd ‘chick’

Middle English bird

English bird

Today it means

noun A darter: any bird of the genus Anhinga.

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

Etymograph / snakebird