philomel

phil·o·mel

 (fĭl′ə-mĕl′)

n.

A nightingale.

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[Alteration (influenced by French philomèle) of Middle English phylomene, from Medieval Latin philomēna, from Latin Philomēla, Philomela; see Philomela.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

philomel

(ˈfɪləˌmɛl) or

philomela

n

(Animals) poetic names for a nightingale

[C14 philomene, via Medieval Latin from Latin philomēla, from Greek]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

night•in•gale

(ˈnaɪt nˌgeɪl, ˈnaɪ tɪŋ-)

n.

any of several small Old World birds of the thrush subfamily, esp. Luscinia megarhynchos, of Europe, noted for the melodious song of the male, often heard at night.

[1200–50; Middle English nightyngale, nightegale, Old English nihtegale, c. German Nachtigall, literally, night singer (compare Old English galan sing; akin to yell)]

Night•in•gale

(ˈnaɪt nˌgeɪl, ˈnaɪ tɪŋ-)

n.

Florence, 1820–1910, English nurse and hospital reformer.

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