Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Pertaining to or having the characters of the Cygninæ.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective zoology Being of the genus Cygnus (swan), within subfamily Anserinae of the family Anatidae, though sometimes considered a distinct subfamily, Cygninae.
  • adjective Of, concerning, pertaining to, resembling, or having the characteristics of a swan or swans.
  • noun dated An alkaloid from gastrolobium calycinium, the 'York Road' poison plant; a convulsant poison, C19H22N2O3.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin cygnus ("swan"), with English -ine.

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Examples

  • W cygnine swan W anatine duck 1862-1893 dacelonine kingfisher W OOsW didine dodo 1885 OW avine bird 1881 OW falconine falcon OW buteonine buzzard fringilline finch 1874 -

    VERBATIM: The Language Quarterly Vol IV No 1 1977

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