spekvreter, noun
- Forms:
- Also speckvreter.
- Origin:
- South African Dutch, DutchShow more South African Dutch, from Dutch spek fat, bacon + vreter eater; see quotation 1867.
obs.
The familiar chat Ceromela familiaris of the Turdidae; also called dagbreker.
1867 E.L. Layard Birds of S. Afr. 107Speckvreter of Colonists. A pair or two frequent every farm-house in the colony, and are accused of picking the grease out of the cart-wheels; hence their colonial name. Dr. A. Smith, in Zool. of S. A., says it differs from Le Vaillant’s bird.
1937 M. Alston Wanderings 145A familiar chat had built its nest...In Rhodesia it is known as the ‘house-bird’...The Dutch call it the speck-vreter (fat-eater) because it has often been seen eating the grease from wagon wheels.
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