birds of a feather flock together en · X
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Etymology
The expression appears to have surfaced in the 16th century, allegedly a literal translation of Plato's Republic. In 1545, William Turner wrote a version of the expression in the Rescuing of Romish Fox: "Byrdes of on kynde and color flok and flye allwayes together." One can, however, also compare the expression to Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) 27:9: "Birds resort unto their like."
Meanings
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(idiomatic) People of similar character, background or taste tend to congregate or associate with one another; it is easier to establish friendships with people that one has a lot in common with.
So, in London, birds of a feather must flock together, willy nilly, silk hat and frock coat must go with white gloves and brown sables, peaky blinder and “choker" must associate with crop fringed hair, ear curls, and rakish three feathered hat.
1899, The Puritan - Volume 5, page 206:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| birds of the feather flock together | alternative | lexicographic |
Antonyms
Deriveds
Relateds
birds of a feather · like two peas in a pod
Synonyms
like likes like · like attracts like · apple does not fall far from the tree
Translations (77)
la pares cum paribus facillimē congregantur (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · ms orang sebentuk bagai cincin, setitik bagai emas (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · ga is bách iad lucht aon cheirde (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · ko 유유상종 (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · es Dios los cría y el diablo los junta (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · sv lika barn leka bäst (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · cs vrána k vráně sedá, rovný rovného si hledá (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · mk се стркалало грнчето си го нашло поклопчето (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · vi khôn ngoan đá đáp người ngoài, gà cùng một mẹ chớ hoài đá nhau (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · az taylı tayını tapar (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · ro cine se aseamănă se adună (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · nan-hbl 龍交龍，鳳交鳳，隱痀的交侗戇 /龙交龙 (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · sk vrana k vrane sadá (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · ms antah bersama antah, beras bersama beras (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · pt diga-me com quem andas e eu te direi quem és (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · es dime con quién andas y te diré quién eres (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · da lige børn leger bedst (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · de Gleich und Gleich gesellt sich gern (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · es cada oveja con su pareja (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · el όμοιος ομοίω αεί πελάζει (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · no like barn leker best (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · cmn 物以類聚 /物以类聚 (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · sl enake sorte ptiči skup letijo (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · ru во́рон во́рону глаз не вы́клюет (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · is sækjast sér um líkir (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · vi khôn ngoan đối đáp người ngoài, gà cùng một mẹ chớ hoài đá nhau (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · ms samakah air hujan dengan air perigi? (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · az tay tayını tapar (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · uk одного поля ягоди (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · hu madarat tolláról, embert barátjáról (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · el τα όμοια έλκονται (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · yue 物以類聚 /物以类聚 (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · hak 人同人好，鬼同鬼好 (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · tr it ulur, birbirini bulur (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · da krage søger mage (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · sh svaka ptica svome jatu leti (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · eo birdoj samplumaj flugas kunaj (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · cs vrána k vráně sedá (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · ja 類は友を呼ぶ (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · nl soort zoekt soort (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · vi đồng thanh tương ứng (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · ms enggang bersama enggang, pipit bersama pipit (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · it chi si assomiglia si piglia (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · gd an dubh-isean ag iarraidh an dubh-gheòidh (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · nan-hbl 凤交凤 (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · cy adar o'r unlliw a hedant i'r unlle (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · fa کبوتر با کبوتر، باز با باز (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · ru я́блоко от я́блони недалеко́ па́дает (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · wa les cis ki si rshonnèt s' rashonnèt (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · ru дура́к дурака́ ви́дит издалека́ (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · sq gjeti tenxherja kapakun (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · az eşşək anqırar, tayını tapar (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · bn ঝাঁকের কই ঝাঁকেই মেশে (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · ja 牛は牛連れ、馬は馬連れ (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · sa भावो भावं निगच्छति (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · sl vrana vrani ne izkljuje oči (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · te ఒకగూటి పక్షులు ఒకేచోటికి చేరుతాయి (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · lv tāds ar tādu saderas (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · mt ma’ min rajtek xebbaħtek (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · ro spune-mi cu cine te însoțești ca să îți spun cine ești (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · pl ciągnie swój do swego (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · fr qui se ressemble s'assemble (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · ta இனம் இனத்தோடு சேரும் (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · ko 끼리끼리 (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · it dio li fa e poi li accoppia (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · vi đồng khí tương cầu (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · de zeig mir deine Freunde und ich sage dir, wer du bist (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · fi samanlaiset lapset leikkivät parhaiten (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · es Dios los cría y ellos se juntan (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · hu zsák a foltját megtalálja (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · gd is toigh le bò mhaol bò mhaol eile (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · scn nun ti pigghiu si nun t'assumigghiu (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · nan-hbl 隐痀的交侗戆 (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · ru рыба́к рыбака́ ви́дит издалека́ (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · hi एक थाली के चट्टे बट्टे (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · is líkur sækir líkan heim (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate) · ug مال تۈرى بىلەن (people of similar character, etc. tend to associate)