Bird-of-paradise


any of several passerine birds of the family Paradisaeidae, of New Guinea and adjacent islands, the males of which have ornate, colorful plumage.
Also called bird-of-paradise flower. any of several plants of the genus Strelitzia, native to southern Africa, especially S. reginae, having a large, showy orange and blue inflorescence.
a small tree or shrub, Caesalpinia (Poinciana) gilliesii, native to South America, having featherlike leaves and showy yellow flowers with red stamens.
the constellation Apus.
Historical Examples

Trilby George Du Maurier
Gordon Keith Thomas Nelson Page
Journals of Australian Explorations A C and F T Gregory
The Lands of the Saracen Bayard Taylor
A Christmas Child Mrs. Molesworth
Past and Present Thomas Carlyle
Where the Strange Trails Go Down E. Alexander Powell
The Roll-Call Arnold Bennett
Molly Bawn Margaret Wolfe Hamilton

noun
any songbird of the family Paradisaeidae of New Guinea and neighbouring regions, the males of which have brilliantly coloured ornate plumage
bird-of-paradise flower, any of various banana-like plants of the genus Strelitzia, esp S. reginae, that are native to tropical southern Africa and South America and have purple bracts and large orange or yellow flowers resembling birds’ heads: family Strelitziaceae

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