grive

unknown origin. perhaps an onomatopoeia, says ménage; this is also the opinion of buffon. génin, récréat. t. i, p. 140, sees in it, as in gris, 'a little drunk', and for the same reason, the old french griu, which meant 'greek'. there is in old french another grive which, meaning 'grass snake', is an alteration of guivre, and has nothing in common with the bird.