Definition of the word ostrich

The word "ostrich" originates from the Greek language. The bird was first described by the Greek philosopher and scientist Aristotle around 350 BCE. Aristotle gave the bird its Latin name, Struthio camelus, which means "camel bird" due to its long legs and neck reminiscent of a camel's. The Greek word for ostrich was "ōstrix", meaning "wild bird". The Latin form of the name became the official scientific name for the ostrich, Struthio camelus. The word "ostrich" was later adopted into Old French as "estriche" and then into Middle English as "ostreche". It has remained the common name for the bird in English since then.