[a. Sp. and F. colibri, according to statements in Littré orig. the Carib name. A kind of humming-bird.
[1715. Kersey, Colibus, the Humming-bird, which is no bigger than a large Fly; yet makes a Noise like a Whirlwind. Hence in Bailey.]
1740. Hist. Jamaica, 333. As to Birds … the most famous is the Colibry or Humming-bird.
1812. Smellie, trans. Buffon’s Nat. Hist., XVI. 382. M. de la Condamine never saw Colibris more numerous than in the gardens of Quito.
1840. Browning, Sordello, III. 347. Buzz of colibri.
1855. Kingsley, Westw. Ho! II. ix. 254. ‘Look, Frank, that’s a colibri. You’ve heard of colibris?’
Frank looked at the living gem, which hung, loud humming, over some fantastic bloom.
