Jackdaw

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /ˈdʒækËŒdɔː/
• GenAM IPA: /ˈdʒækËŒdÉ”/
• Hyphenation: jack + daw

Origin

Compound of jack and daw The first element, also present in Low German Kajak, (North Saxon) Jöker "jackdaw", may refer either to its characteristic call, often represented as tchak-tchak, or to the name Jack. The second element means "jackdaw" in itself, from Old English dāƿe, and is cognate with German Dohle.

Full definition of jackdaw

Noun

1. A European bird of the crow family (Coloeus monedula), often nesting in church towers and ruins.
2. A Daurian jackdaw, a closely related Asian bird (Coloeus dauuricus).

Synonyms

• (Coloeus monedula) daw, western jackdaw, Eurasian jackdaw, European jackdaw