O"ri*ole (?), n. [OF. oriol,
oriouz, orieus, F. loriot (for l'oriol),
fr. L. aureolus golden, dim. of aureus golden, fr.
aurum gold. Cf. Aureole, Oriel, Loriot.]
(Zoöl.) (a) Any one of various
species of Old World singing birds of the family
Oriolidæ. They are usually conspicuously colored with
yellow and black. The European or golden oriole (Oriolus
galbula, or O. oriolus) has a very musical flutelike note.
(b) In America, any one of several
species of the genus Icterus, belonging to the family
Icteridæ. See Baltimore oriole, and Orchard
oriole, under Orchard.
Crested oriole. (Zoöl.) See
Cassican.