woodhen en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /ˈwʊd.hɛn/
Etymology
From Middle English wodhen, from Old English wuduhenn (“woodhen, quail”), equivalent to wood + hen.
Meanings
- The weka (Gallirallus australis).
-
The species Hypotaenidia sylvestris (syns. Gallirallus sylvestris, Tricholimnas sylvestris, Ocydromus sylvestris), a rail in the family Rallidae endemic to Lord Howe Island, Australia.
The story of the woodhen is one outstanding conservation triumph in a plethora of tragedy.
2005, Sean Dooley, The Big Twitch, Sydney: Allen and Unwin, page 233:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| woodhens | Number=Plur | lexicographic |