Word · Frequency #16242
starling
椋鸟；欧椋鸟
a gregarious Old World songbird with dark plumage
- 1.
A family, Sturnidae, of passerine birds.
椋鸟科雀形目鸟类。
- 2.
An enclosure like a coffer-dam, formed of piles driven closely together before any structure or work, as a protection against the wash of waves, commonly used to protect the piers of a bridge.
一种围堰式防护结构,由紧密排列的木桩构成,用于保护桥墩等。
- 3.
gregarious birds native to the Old World
原产于旧大陆的群居鸟类
- 4.
A fish, rock trout (Hexagrammos spp.), of the North Pacific, especially, Hexagrammos decagrammus, found in US waters.
北太平洋的六线鱼属鱼类,尤其美国水域的斑六线鱼。
- 5.
One of the piles used in forming such a breakwater.
构成这种防波堤的桩木之一。
椋鸟科雀形目鸟类。；一种围堰式防护结构,由紧密排列的木桩构成,用于保护桥墩等。；原产于旧大陆的群居鸟类；北太平洋的六线鱼属鱼类,尤其美国水域的斑六线鱼。；构成这种防波堤的桩木之一。
In use
A starling landed on the windowsill and began to sing.
We watched a flock of starlings fly over the fields at dusk.
Starlings often gather in large groups during the winter.
a starling
starling 是可数名词，单数前常用 a/an。
A starling was perched on the roof.
一只椋鸟停在屋顶上。
starlings
starlings 是 starling 的复数形式。
Starlings often gather in large flocks.
椋鸟常常成群聚集。
a flock of starlings
描述椋鸟群时，常用 a flock of 来表示“一群”。
A flock of starlings flew across the sky.
Connections
Collocations
- a flock of starlings
- 一群欧椋鸟
- A flock of starlings settled on the power lines.一群欧椋鸟落在电线上。
- starling murmuration
- 欧椋鸟群飞奇观
- We watched a starling murmuration at dusk.黄昏时我们观赏了欧椋鸟群飞奇观。
- common starling
- 紫翅椋鸟；欧椋鸟
- The common starling is widespread across Europe.紫翅椋鸟遍布欧洲。
- European starling
- 欧洲椋鸟
- European starlings were introduced to North America.欧洲椋鸟被引入北美。
- starling nest
- 椋鸟巢
- A starling nest filled the hollow tree.一个椋鸟巢占满了那棵空心树。
- starling population
Learner notes
Memory Tip
把 starling 拆成 star（星星）和 ling（铃声）：星光下成群聒噪的欧椋鸟，叫声像铃铛。
Context & Register
语域：neutral 常见场景：birdwatching、nature documentaries、field guides 欧椋鸟是常见鸟类，该词在口语和书面语中均属中性，无显著正式或随意倾向。通常在观鸟、自然写作或日常谈论鸟类时使用。
Grammar Note
复数形式为 starlings。
Pronunciation & Spelling
与 starling /ˈstɑrlɪŋ/ 押韵的词：darling /ˈdɑːrlɪŋ/、snarling /ˈsnɑːrlɪŋ/（重读元音 /ɑr/ 及后面的 /lɪŋ/ 相同）。注意形近词 staring /ˈsterɪŋ/（没有 /l/，元音也不同），以及 duckling、gosling、yearling 只共享 -ling 拼写，发音并不押韵。
Learn the forms together
页面下方列出了常见词形变化。学习时注意它们在句子中的语法位置。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.