Liocichla
lee-oh-SIK-la
Genus
the smooth (or smooth-feathered) thrush
Literally: smooth thrush
| Part | Meaning | Language | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| lio- | smooth; smoothness | Greek (lio, -t) | combining form lio- (stem liot-); used here as lio- before a consonant |
| -o- | connecting vowel | Greek connecting vowel linking the two roots | |
| cichla | a thrush | Greek (cichl, =a) | terminal form -a; feminine, matching standard Greek genus endings |
A compound genus name formed from two Greek elements joined by the connecting vowel -o-. Both roots are Greek, so the compound is linguistically pure. Liocichla is treated grammatically as a feminine Latin noun in the nominative singular (as required for genus names under ICZN). The name as a whole is a noun in apposition — 'smooth thrush' — describing a bird of the babbler family (Leiothrichidae) noted for its relatively smooth, sleek plumage.
Pronunciation
- lee-oh-SIK-la Four syllables: li-o-cich-la. Penult 'cich' has a short vowel (i) followed by a single consonant (ch = k) before the final -la, so it does not trigger penult stress. Stress falls on the antepenult, syllable 'o'.
Other readings
One could read 'lio-' directly as the combining form without a separate connecting vowel (i.e. lio + cichla with the -o- absorbed into the lio- stem), but the result and meaning are identical.
'ch' in 'cichla' is Greek chi (χ), pronounced as hard 'k', not as English 'ch'. The root cichl- refers to a thrush (Greek κίχλη, kíkhlē), widely used in ornithological genera (e.g. Cichlopsis, Cichlherminia). The Greek root lio-/liot- (λεῖος) meaning 'smooth' also appears in the alternate spelling of the family Leiothrichidae (leio- + thrix, 'smooth hair/feather').