‖rhenostervoël, noun
- Forms:
- Show more Also renostervoël, and (formerly) rhenostervoël, rhinaster vogel.
- Origin:
- South African Dutch, AfrikaansShow more South African Dutch, rhenoster rhinoceros (later Afrikaans renoster) + vogel (later Afrikaans voël) bird.
oxpecker.
1822 W.J. Burchell Trav. I. 245They distinguish also a Rhenoster-vogel and an Olifants vogel; but whatever might have been believed of these birds formerly, they are not now to be depended upon by the hunter, in search of these quadrupeds.
1990 C. Laffeaty Far Forbidden Plains 356‘They are renostervoëls,’ he said. ‘Those red bills of theirs are searching out ticks on the hides of the cattle.’
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