Question

eyas noun "Eyas" is a funny-sounding word that exists because of a mistake. In the 15th century, Middle English speakers made an incorrect assumption about the word "neias," which comes from the Anglo-French "niais" ("fresh from the nest"). "A neias" sounded like "an eias" to their ears, so the word lost that initial "n," eventually becoming "eyas." (There are other words in English that were created in this same fashion; for example, "an apron" used to be "a napron.") The change in spelling may have been suggested by other Middle English words like "ey" ("egg") and "eyry," which was a spelling of "aerie," the hawk's nest where an eyas would be found. : an unfledged bird; specifically : a nestling hawk

Accepted Answer

March 18, 2009 EYE-us It took about six weeks for the eyas to mature into a fully grown peregrine falcon.

Word	eyas
Date	March 18, 2009
Type	noun
Syllables	EYE-us
Etymology	"Eyas" is a funny-sounding word that exists because of a mistake. In the 15th century, Middle English speakers made an incorrect assumption about the word "neias," which comes from the Anglo-French "niais" ("fresh from the nest"). "A neias" sounded like "an eias" to their ears, so the word lost that initial "n," eventually becoming "eyas." (There are other words in English that were created in this same fashion; for example, "an apron" used to be "a napron.") The change in spelling may have been suggested by other Middle English words like "ey" ("egg") and "eyry," which was a spelling of "aerie," the hawk's nest where an eyas would be found.
Examples	It took about six weeks for the eyas to mature into a fully grown peregrine falcon.
Definition	: an unfledged bird; specifically : a nestling hawk

Eyas Word English Middle Spelling March Noun Eye Us