nightingale

nightingale
    n 1: European songbird noted for its melodious nocturnal song
         [syn: {nightingale}, {Luscinia megarhynchos}]
    2: English nurse remembered for her work during the Crimean War
       (1820-1910) [syn: {Nightingale}, {Florence Nightingale},
       {Lady with the Lamp}]
    

Nightingale \Night"in*gale\, n. [OE. nihtegale,nightingale, AS.
   nihtegale; niht night + galan to sing, akin to E. yell; cf.
   D. nachtegaal, OS. nahtigala, OHG. nahtigala, G. nachtigall,
   Sw. n[aum]ktergal, Dan. nattergal. See {Night}, and {Yell}.]
   1. (Zool.) A small, plain, brown and gray European song bird
      ({Luscinia megarhynchos} syn. {Luscinia luscinia}). It
      sings at night, and is celebrated for the sweetness of its
      song.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. (Zool.) A larger species ({Lucinia philomela}), of Eastern
      Europe, having similar habits; the thrush nightingale. The
      name is also applied to other allied species.
      [1913 Webster]

   {Mock nightingale}. (Zool.) See {Blackcap}, n., 1
      (a) .
          [1913 Webster]