Icteridae (Translingual)
Where does "Icteridae" come from?
The name Icteridae derives from the Ancient Greek word 'íkteros,' which described both a condition associated with yellow skin and a yellowish bird thought to cure it. This term became the Latin 'icterus' and eventually formed the taxonomic genus 'Icterus.' By adding the suffix '-idae,' which denotes a biological family, scientists created this label to classify the group of New World blackbirds and orioles.
Full etymology tree
- Icteridae (Translingual), 'A taxonomic family within the order Passeriformes – grackles, New World blackbirds, New World orioles, etc.'
- compound Icterus (Translingual), 'A taxonomic genus within the family Icteridae – New World orioles.'
- inherited icterus (Latin), 'a yellow bird, otherwise unknown, the sight of which was said to cure jaundice; perhaps loriot, golden oriole'
- inherited ἴκτερος (íkteros) (Ancient Greek), 'jaundice, icterus'
- inherited icterus (Latin), 'a yellow bird, otherwise unknown, the sight of which was said to cure jaundice; perhaps loriot, golden oriole'
- suffix -idae (Translingual), 'Used to form names of subclasses of plants.'
- inherited -idae (Latin), 'inflection of -idus:'
- compound Icterus (Translingual), 'A taxonomic genus within the family Icteridae – New World orioles.'
Ancestors
- Icterus (Translingual)
- idae (Translingual)
Updated July 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris