Standard Lemma guide

ortolan

noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˈɔː.təl.ən/
  • UK: /ˈɔː.təl.æn/
  • US: /ˈɔɹ.tə.læn/
  • US: /ˈɔɹ.tə.lən/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A small European migratory bunting (Emberiza hortulana), once eaten whole as a delicacy.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Any of various similar birds, especially the bobolink, sora, or snow bunting.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

The greater short-toed lark (Calandrella brachydactyla).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

brownish Old World bunting often eaten as a delicacy

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: ortolan bunting, Emberiza hortulana

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: bunting

History

Etymology

From Middle French hortolan (“gardener”), from Latin hortulānus (“gardener”). Doublet of hortulan.

Across languages

Translations

22 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: градинска овесарка (gradinska ovesarka) — a small bird eaten as a delicacy
  • Catalan: hortolà — a small bird eaten as a delicacy
  • Catalan: piula hortolana — a small bird eaten as a delicacy
  • Dutch: ortolaan — a small bird eaten as a delicacy
  • Esperanto: hortulano — a small bird eaten as a delicacy
  • Finnish: peltosirkku — a small bird eaten as a delicacy
  • French: ortolan — a small bird eaten as a delicacy
  • French: becfigue — a small bird eaten as a delicacy
  • Galician: milleirengo — a small bird eaten as a delicacy
  • German: Ortolan — a small bird eaten as a delicacy
  • Italian: beccafico — a small bird eaten as a delicacy
  • Polish: ortolan — a small bird eaten as a delicacy
  • Romanian: ortolan — a small bird eaten as a delicacy
  • Russian: садовая овся́нка (sadovaja ovsjánka) — a small bird eaten as a delicacy
  • Russian: рисовый трупиал (risovyj trupial) — a small bird eaten as a delicacy
  • Russian: боболинк (bobolink) — a small bird eaten as a delicacy
  • Spanish: hortelano — a small bird eaten as a delicacy
  • Spanish: papafigo — a small bird eaten as a delicacy
  • Turkish: kiraz kuşu — a small bird eaten as a delicacy
  • Turkish: çinte — a small bird eaten as a delicacy
  • Ottoman Turkish: یلو (yelva) — a small bird eaten as a delicacy
  • Yiddish: אָרטאָלאַן (ortolan) — a small bird eaten as a delicacy