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Definition of wattle-eye
wattle-eye
Plural:wattle-eyes
wattle-eye Lexical Profile
CEFR
C2
Grade
13
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
A small, insectivorous passerine bird of the genus Platysteira, native to the forests and woodlands of sub-Saharan Africa, characterized by the distinctive, brightly colored fleshy wattles above its eyes.
Example
"The ornithologist was thrilled to spot a male brown-throated wattle-eye darting through the dense canopy of the Ugandan forest."
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
A descriptive compound of 'wattle' and 'eye', coined in the 19th century to identify these African birds by the distinctive fleshy, brightly colored skin appendages located above their eyes.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Wattle-eye. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 15, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/wattle-eye