thrush: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1neutral; technical (for medical sense)
Quick answer
What does “thrush” mean?
A small, brown, often speckled songbird with a melodious voice.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A small, brown, often speckled songbird with a melodious voice.
1. A common yeast infection (candidiasis) affecting the mouth, throat, or vagina. 2. A fungal infection in the mouth of an infant, appearing as white patches. 3. (Obsolete/Slang) A female singer.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major differences in meaning. Spelling and pronunciation are identical. Both dialects use both senses (bird and infection).
Connotations
In both dialects, the primary connotation is neutral for the bird, negative (unpleasant medical condition) for the infection.
Frequency
Both senses are used with comparable frequency in both BrE and AmE. The medical sense is likely more frequent in general discourse due to common health issues.
Grammar
How to Use “thrush” in a Sentence
The baby developed [thrush].The [thrush] sang in the hedge.She was treated for [oral thrush].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “thrush” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- This medication is used to thrush stubborn infections.
American English
- The doctor thrushed the area with antifungal cream.
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- The thrush-like call was unmistakable.
- He had a thrushy appearance in his mouth.
American English
- A thrush-like melody filled the air.
- The thrushy coating indicated an infection.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in ornithology and medical/biological sciences.
Everyday
Common, especially the medical sense ('oral thrush'). The bird sense is common in nature talk.
Technical
Precise term in medicine (candidiasis) and ornithology.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “thrush”
- Using 'thrush' only for the bird and not recognising its medical meaning.
- Confusing 'thrush' (infection) with other ailments like 'cold sores'.
- Using incorrect prepositions: 'She has a thrush' instead of 'She has thrush' (usually uncountable).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, they are homonyms—different words that happen to sound and are spelled the same. The infection is named for the spotted appearance resembling some birds' breasts.
For the bird, yes (thrushes). For the medical condition, it's usually uncountable (e.g., 'I have thrush'), though you can say 'a case of thrush'.
Yes, the term is also used in veterinary medicine, e.g., 'thrush' is a bacterial/fungal infection in a horse's hoof.
The song thrush and the mistle thrush are very common and widespread species across the UK.
A small, brown, often speckled songbird with a melodious voice.
Thrush is usually neutral; technical (for medical sense) in register.
Thrush: in British English it is pronounced /θrʌʃ/, and in American English it is pronounced /θrʌʃ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None directly associated with 'thrush'. Rare/obsolete: 'To sing like a thrush' (to sing beautifully).”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
The THRUSH in the bush might give you a rash. (Links the two meanings: bird and infection.)
Conceptual Metaphor
HEALTH IS CLEANLINESS / DISEASE IS DIRT (for the medical sense: 'thrush' is seen as an unclean condition).
Practice
Quiz
In which context would the word 'thrush' LEAST likely be used?