from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
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]