rail3

 
Pronunciation: /reɪl/

noun

  • a secretive bird with drab grey and brown plumage, typically having a long bill and found in dense waterside vegetation.
    • Family Rallidae (the rail family): several genera, especially Rallus, and numerous species. The rail family also includes the crakes, gallinules, moorhens, and coots

Origin:

late Middle English: from Old Northern French raille, perhaps of imitative origin