‖sysie, noun
/ˈseɪsi/
- Forms:
- Show more Also saasie, saysie, seisje, sijsje, syssie.
- Origin:
- Afrikaans, DutchShow more Afrikaans, adaptation and transferred use of Dutch sijsje linnet, siskin.
a. Any of numerous species of song-birds of the genus Serinus of the Fringillidae. See also berg canary (berg sense 1 b ii), Cape canary (Cape sense 2 a).
1861 ‘A Lady’ Life at Cape (1963) 28There is a yellow and brown finch, called the saasie which runs up and down a limited scale with much sweetness and expression, but the singing is soft and subdued, and, as it were, lisped out.
1924 D. Fairbridge Gardens of S. Afr. 99The Turtle-dove feeds largely on the seeds of weeds, so do all the Seisjes — those sweet singers of the veld.
b. With distinguishing epithet:
1908 [see quot. at geel sysie above].
Any of numerous species of song-birds of the genus Serinus of the Fringillidae.
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