Kate
(keɪt)
A pet-form of the female name Katherine; now also used as a baptismal name. Also, a dialect name for several species of finches, as the brambling, hawfinch, and goldfinch.
| 1773 Barrington in Phil. Trans. LXIII. 283 note, The London bird-catchers also sell..the yellow hammer, twite and brambling [note, They call this bird a kate] as singing birds. 1802–33 G. Montagu Ornith. Dict. (ed. Rennie) 53 Mountain Finch..(Provincial) Kate. 1885 Swainson Prov. Names Birds 58 In the north, young goldfinches are called Grey Kates or Pates. |