lintie: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Rare / ArchaicDialectal, Poetic, Archaic
Quick answer
What does “lintie” mean?
A small songbird, specifically the Eurasian Linnet (Linaria cannabina).
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A small songbird, specifically the Eurasian Linnet (Linaria cannabina).
A dialectal or archaic term for a linnet, sometimes used in poetic or regional contexts to refer to a small, cheerful bird.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Exclusively British (specifically Scottish/Northern English) dialect. Not used in American English.
Connotations
In British usage, it evokes rustic, pastoral, or traditional settings. It may carry a slightly sentimental or old-fashioned tone.
Frequency
Extremely rare in modern British English, found primarily in older poetry, folk songs, or regional speech. Unknown in American English.
Grammar
How to Use “lintie” in a Sentence
The [adjective] lintie sang.We heard a lintie in the [location].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “lintie” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
N/A
Academic
Only in historical or dialectological studies of English.
Everyday
Virtually never used in modern everyday conversation.
Technical
In ornithology, the standard term is 'linnet' or 'Eurasian Linnet' (Linaria cannabina).
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “lintie”
- Spelling it as 'linty' (which means 'covered in lint/fibres').
- Using it in a modern, international context where it would not be understood.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but it is a dialectal (chiefly Scottish) and archaic variant of 'linnet'. It is not used in standard modern English.
Only if you are specifically writing about Scottish dialect, poetry, or historical language. Otherwise, use the standard term 'linnet'.
There is no biological difference. 'Lintie' is simply a regional/archaic name for the same bird, the Eurasian Linnet.
Comprehensive dictionaries document historical, dialectal, and obsolete words to provide a complete record of the language's development and variation.
A small songbird, specifically the Eurasian Linnet (Linaria cannabina).
Lintie is usually dialectal, poetic, archaic in register.
Lintie: in British English it is pronounced /ˈlɪnti/, and in American English it is pronounced N/A. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “As blythe as a lintie (Scottish: very cheerful)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: LINtie sounds like 'tiny' and is a TINy LINnet.
Conceptual Metaphor
CHEERFULNESS IS A SONGBIRD (e.g., 'He was as cheerful as a lintie').
Practice
Quiz
'Lintie' is a dialectal word primarily from which region?