What does wattled mean?
Wattled is an adjective meaning either having fleshy appendages called wattles or made from woven wattle. Its best-known use is in descriptions of birds: a wattled crane, for example, has conspicuous fleshy flaps beneath its throat that become part of the bird's appearance and display. The word can also describe a fence, wall, or building constructed with slender branches woven together and coated with mud or another material. In that older or rural sense, wattled often evokes vernacular architecture and traditional craftsmanship rather than modern construction. Although it is uncommon in everyday speech, wattled is useful because it precisely identifies a visible anatomical feature in one context and a distinctive building method in the other. It should not be confused with the noun wattle, which names both the appendage and the plant material.
adjectiveHaving fleshy throat appendages called wattles, especially in birds; also, made or covered with woven wattle.
- Having one or more fleshy appendages called wattles, especially on a bird's throat.
- Made from or covered with wattle, especially woven flexible branches used in fences, walls, or buildings.
"A wattled crane stood motionless beside the marsh, its red throat appendages gleaming in the morning light."
"The wattled crane raised its throat appendages as it called to its mate."
"The medieval farmhouse had wattled walls beneath a steep thatched roof."
Some birds wear elaborate necklaces: the wattled crane has conspicuous fleshy flaps beneath its throat.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does wattled come from?
Wattled was formed in English by adding the adjective-forming suffix -ed to wattle. English wattle derives from Old English and was used both for the fleshy appendages of birds and for flexible branches woven into fences, walls, and roofs. Related English forms include wattling, an individual twig or strip used in wattle construction, and wattlework, work made from woven wattles.
How wattled is actually used
The anatomical sense is chiefly found in natural-history and ornithological writing. The construction sense is more historical or rural and may sound unusual in modern contexts.
Easily confused with wattled
Wattle is the noun for a bird's fleshy throat appendage or for woven branches, whereas wattled is the adjective describing an animal or object that has or is made from wattles.