Although sometimes doubted, the definition "the thing bred" is correct but needs more supporting evidence than produced heretofore. In Engl. and Scot. bird also means "a young girl, a young man, a chicken", and in Australia bird still designates a girl. Parallels are found in Engl. chick "chicken, young girl" (ð9.7.), Gr. neossos "chick", neós "boy, girl", Alb. zogë "chicken, girl", Sbc. mladac "fledgling" mlada "bride" French poule,poulette "chicken, girl", Scot. pout "pullet", Ital. putto "child" etc. (ð9.3.1.), Engl. boy "male child", Roman. bâiat "boy", French (Grd. Combe) boyè "young boy", Grenoble boya, Forez boye "young girl", Savoie boya "génisse" (young cow), Valais boyè "young boy, young bull". (These cognates disprove the other etymologies given for Engl. boy).
| Engl.: Scot. | bird, burd | offspring |
| Engl.: Scot. | bird, burd, beird, brid | a lady, a damsel. |
| Engl. | bride | girl about to be married; also "the young of quadrupeds, especially the fox" (in regional speech) |
| Engl. | bird | "In common talk, bird is used for the smaller, fowl for the larger birds" (Johnson, Dict.oftheEngl.language, 1747-1755) |
| Gael.S. | brid-eun | small bird |
| Engl.: Scot. | brid, bridde | bird, pullet |
| Gael.S. | brid (obsolete) | little |
| Gael.S. | brideach | bride |
| AS | byrd, brod | bride |
| Engl.(slang) | broad | woman |
| Svensk | bord | bride |
| Germ. | braut | bride |
| Germ. | brut | brood |
| Engl. | brood | litter (of young animals) |
| Frisian | berd | birth |
| Engl.reg. | werdie | weakest bird in a brood |
| Engl. | birth | act of being born. This group is cognate to born "carried" (as is also burden, middle Engl. birthen) |
| Pers. | berid, perid | young of animals |
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