avis
[ˈa.wɪs]feminine
The English word 'bird' is translated into Latin as avis. Wiktionary also lists volucer.
Meaning: animal (noun)
Ways to say it
| Latin | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| avis | [ˈa.wɪs] (Classical Latin, narrow) [ˈaː.vis] (narrow) |
feminine |
| volucer | [ˈwɔ.ɫʊ.kɛr] (Classical Latin, narrow) [ˈvɔː.lu.t͡ʃer] (narrow) |
masculine |
Which one should you use?
avis is the general term for a bird. In contrast, volucer can function as a noun meaning 'a bird' or 'a winged creature', often used to describe an animal by its ability to fly.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Columba is a regional variation used specifically to describe a dove or a pigeon.
How does it change in a sentence?
For the nominative plural, use aves. To say 'of birds', use the genitive plural form avium. For the dative or ablative plural cases, use avibus.
Did you know?
- Ancient Romans practiced 'auspicium', a ritual of observing the flight and behavior of aves to interpret the will of the gods.
- The English word 'aviation' comes from the Latin avis.
Examples in context
- Avis in caelo est.The bird is in the sky.This sentence demonstrates the use of avis to describe a bird's location in the sky.Tatoeba #3840186 by pullnosemans, translation #3812934 by muriloricci
- Avis in tecto est.The bird is on the roof.This sentence shows how to use avis when describing a bird on a roof.Tatoeba #11175407 by carlosalberto, translation #11175388 by carlosalberto
- Apis avis non est.A bee is not a bird.This sentence uses avis to differentiate a bird from a bee.Tatoeba #11658187 by carlosalberto, translation #11658164 by carlosalberto
- 31 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Marcus and Lucia are walking in a garden.
- MarcusEcce, parva avis in arbore est.Look, a small bird is in the tree.
- LuciaIta est, avis pulchra est.Yes, it is a beautiful bird.
- MarcusCanitne avis?Is the bird singing?
- LuciaIta, avis laete canit.Yes, the bird is singing happily.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bird” translations and entries avis, volucer, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries avis, volucer, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
