avian
Americanadjective
adjective
Etymology
Origin of avian
Explanation
Anything avian relates to birds. Avian flu is the bird flu, which birds can pass to humans. Someone who flies a plane is an aviator, and that may help you remember that avian things have to do with birds. Feathers are part of avian anatomy. Laying eggs is the avian method of reproduction. Bird-watchers are avian experts who know how to tell birds apart. Ornithologists are also avian experts: they’re scientists who study birds.
Vocabulary lists containing avian
Words of a Feather: Unflappable Avian Vocabulary
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More Animal Adjectives
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This Week in Words: August 25 - 31, 2018
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The traditional method of creating flu vaccines involves growing the virus in eggs - but this can be a problem when there are virulent avian flu strains which can kill the eggs used during manufacturing.
From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026
The civil lawsuit would target major producers including Cal-Maine Foods and Versova, which significantly hiked egg prices in 2024 and 2025 due to a supply shortage attributed to avian flu.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026
What has helped is that the threat of highly pathogenic avian influenza, or bird flu, has faded.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 1, 2026
The company said the falling prices reflected improved supply as avian flu subsided and average flock sizes increased.
From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026
Over time mutation lets animal diseases jump to people: avian influenza becomes human influenza, bovine rinderpest becomes human measles, horsepox becomes human smallpox.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
