ostrich (Middle English)

Where does "ostrich" come from?

The Middle English word 'ostrich' is borrowed from Anglo-Norman 'ostrige' and continental Old French 'ostruce'[1]. These terms trace back to Vulgar Latin '*austrūthiō'[1], which is derived from Latin 'strūthiō'[2]. This Latin word originated from Ancient Greek 'στρουθίων'[2], a term built upon 'στρουθός'[4], which meant 'sparrow'[3]. The Greeks also used the compound 'στρουθοκᾰ́μηλος'[6], meaning 'sparrow-camel', due to the bird's camel-like neck[6]. This secondary element 'κάμηλος' has roots in the Proto-West Semitic '*gamal-'[7]. The word's meaning in Middle English was used to identify the bird itself, but also extended to refer to goblets crafted from ostrich eggs and specific heraldic imagery[1].

Open questions

• The etymological origin of the Ancient Greek word 'στρουθός' remains highly uncertain and may stem from a Pre-Greek source. [5]
• The Latin 'strūthiō' may be a shortening of the compound 'strūthiocamēlus' rather than a direct descent from 'στρουθίων'. [3]
• The first element of the Greek words 'στρουθός' and 'στρουθοκᾰ́μηλος' is potentially related to the Latin word 'turdus'. [3]

Full etymology tree

• ostrich (Middle English), 'ostrich (Struthio camelus)'
  • borrowed ostrige (Anglo-Norman)
    • inherited *austrūthiō (Vulgar Latin)
      • derived struthio (Latin), 'ostrich'
        • derived struthiocamelus (Latin), 'ostrich'
          • learned borrowing στρουθοκάμηλος (strouthokámelos) (Ancient Greek), 'ostrich (Struthio camelus)'
            • compound στρουθός (strouthós) (Ancient Greek), 'house sparrow (Passer domesticus)'
            • compound κάμηλος (kámēlos) (Ancient Greek), 'camel'
              • inherited *gamal- (Proto-West Semitic), 'camel'
  • borrowed ostruce (Old French), 'ostrich'
    • inherited *austrūthiō (Vulgar Latin)
      • derived struthio (Latin), 'ostrich'
        • derived struthiocamelus (Latin), 'ostrich'
          • learned borrowing στρουθοκάμηλος (strouthokámelos) (Ancient Greek), 'ostrich (Struthio camelus)'
            • compound στρουθός (strouthós) (Ancient Greek), 'house sparrow (Passer domesticus)'
            • compound κάμηλος (kámēlos) (Ancient Greek), 'camel'
              • inherited *gamal- (Proto-West Semitic), 'camel'

Ancestors

• ostruce (Old French)

Descendants and derived words

• ostrich (English)
• estrys (Welsh)

Sources

1. ostrich (Middle English) - Wiktionary
2. ostruce (Old French) - Wiktionary
3. struthio (Latin) - Wiktionary
4. στρουθίων (Ancient Greek) - Wiktionary
5. στρουθός (strouthós) (Ancient Greek) - Wiktionary
6. στρουθοκάμηλος (strouthokámelos) (Ancient Greek) - Wiktionary
7. κάμηλος (kámēlos) (Ancient Greek) - Wiktionary
8. struthiocamelus (Latin) - Wiktionary

Updated August 2026

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Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris