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Bittern

//ˈbɪtən// name, noun

Definitions

Proper Noun
  1. 1
    A town in the Shire of Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia
Noun
  1. 1
    Several bird species in the Botaurinae subfamily of the heron family Ardeidae.

    "It is a great rock or cliff on the loneliest part of the mountains, and […] is known by the name of the Garden Rock. Near the foot of it is a small lake, the haunt of the solitary bittern, with water-snakes basking in the sun on the leaves of the pond-lilies which lie on the surface."

  2. 2
    The liquor remaining after halite (common salt) has been harvested from saline water (brine). countable, uncountable
  3. 3
    relatively small compact tawny-brown heron with nocturnal habits and a booming cry; found in marshes wordnet
  4. 4
    The saline substance added to soy milk to coagulate it as a primary step in the production of tofu. countable, uncountable

    "Now we add the bittern."

  5. 5
    A very bitter compound of quassia, cocculus indicus, etc., used by fraudulent brewers in adulterating beer. archaic, countable, uncountable

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English bitour, botor, from Old French butor, from Gallo-Roman *butitaurus, a blend of Latin būtiō (“bittern”) and taurus (“bull, ox”).

Etymology 2

From bitter with an unclear suffix, perhaps a dialect form of -ing.

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