Valentine

The Original Meaning

Graphic Definition of Valentine

Valentine v. To sing to a mate. (Of birds.)

Many songbirds don't just sing to attract a mate; once paired, they often sing with their mate to strengthen the bond. Some species, like the Australian magpie-lark and the plain-tailed wren, perform duet songs so tightly synchronized that they sound like a single bird. What's especially delightful is that these duets can function like avian valentines: a way of saying "you're my chosen one" every morning. In some species, the better the pair's coordination, the stronger and more stable the relationship tends to be.

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Bird Words

Alaudine Aerophile
Columbine Epigamic
Humdinger
Patience Rara Avis
Valentine Volant
Woodnote

Quote

“Tomorrow is Saint Valentine’s day,
All in the morning betime.” (very early in the morning.)
— William Shakespeare, Hamlet

Fun Fact

The oldest known written Valentine message dates to 1415, when Charles, Duke of Orléans, wrote a love poem to his wife from the Tower of London. Parts of that message still survive today in manuscript collections.