cere

¹

[ seer ]

noun

, Ornithology.

1. a fleshy, membranous covering of the base of the upper mandible of a bird, especially a bird of prey or a parrot, through which the nostrils open.

cere

²

[ seer ]

verb (used with object)

, cered, cer·ing.

1. Archaic. to wrap in or as if in a cerecloth, especially a corpse.
2. Obsolete. to wax.

cere

¹

/ sɪə /

verb

1. tr to wrap (a corpse) in a cerecloth

cere

²

/ sɪə /

noun

1. a soft waxy swelling, containing the nostrils, at the base of the upper beak in such birds as the parrot

Other Words From

• cered adjective
• cereless adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of cere¹

1480–90; earlier sere, spelling variant of *cere < Medieval Latin cēra literally, wax < Latin

Origin of cere²

1375–1425; late Middle English ceren < Latin cērāre to wax, verbal derivative of cēra wax

Word History and Origins

Origin of cere¹

C15: from Latin cērāre, from cēra wax

Origin of cere²

C15: from Old French cire wax, from Latin cēra

Example Sentences

Cooper’s cere date also fell on a Friday the 13th as well, but the actor wrote the date as the 14th in hopes of avoiding anything suspicious.

From Los Angeles Times

The broad-wing’s keen eyes are an intense vivid reddish-yellow and it’s sharp hooked bill is painted black but the upper bill or cere, is a vibrant yellow-orange.

From Washington Times

There was gray in the black of his body and legs, and each of the eyes on his ugly, pin- cered head was milky white.

From Literature

The cere, if you don't know, is a pale, soft mass of tissue at the base of the bill.

From Scientific American

Bill short, thick, very strong, covered at the base by a cere; upper mandible sharply hooked; under mandible obtuse, curving upwards, and much shorter.

From Project Gutenberg