corbie

noun

cor·bie ˈkȯr-bē

chiefly Scotland

: carrion crow

also : raven

Word History

Etymology

early Scots corby "raven," probably alteration (with assimilation to the suffix -y -ie) of northern Middle English corbin "raven," borrowed from Anglo-French & Old French, probably going back to a noun derivative of Latin corvīnus "of a raven" — more at corvine

Note: For -b- for Latin -v- cf. note at corbel entry 1.

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of corbie was in the 15th century

See more words from the same century