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Definition of gerygone
gerygone
/dʒəˈrɪɡəni/
ger · y · go · ne
Plural:gerygones
gerygone Lexical Profile
CEFR
C2
Grade
13
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
A small, insectivorous songbird of the genus Gerygone in the family Acanthizidae, native to the forests and woodlands of Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea, and Southeast Asia, distinguished by its relatively drab plumage and complex, melodic vocalizations.
Example
"While hiking through the Australian bushland, the ornithologist paused to record the delicate, cascading trill of a western gerygone hidden high in the forest canopy."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for gerygoneWord Origin & Etymology
Derived from the Ancient Greek 'gērugónē' (γῆρυγόνη), meaning 'echo' or 'born of sound', formed from 'gêrus' (voice, sound) and 'gónos' (birth, offspring). The name refers to the bird's distinctive, cascading and melodic song.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Gerygone. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 14, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/gerygone