birdcall

noun

bird·​call ˈbərd-ˌkȯl How to pronounce birdcall (audio)
1
: a device for imitating the cry of a bird
2
: the note or cry of a bird
also : a sound imitative of it

Examples of birdcall in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web At stage left is Ruth Sullivan, a Foley artist with a cabinet of sonic wonders, who supplies thunder, birdcalls, and the amplified noise of roaring flames and bubbling water. Vulture, 23 May 2023 Facing the need to bring in younger audiences, orchestras were experimenting to find the right birdcall that my generation — the mighty Millennial — would answer. The Indianapolis Star, 19 Oct. 2022 Before the last silence, with birdcalls in the woodwinds, there is a spell of absolute fulfillment, of all-embracing spiritual warmth. Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 3 Oct. 2019 The artist dresses up as a Hong Kong policeman from the British colonial era, holding a Long Range Acoustic Device, or LRAD, a non-lethal sonic weapon, beaming concentrated sound or birdcalls at his audience. Vivienne Chow, Quartz, 31 Dec. 2019 Every detail, from a broken branch to a birdcall, is part of a larger story that makes sense when told the right way. Ken Geiger, National Geographic, 17 June 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'birdcall.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1621, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of birdcall was in 1621

Dictionary Entries Near birdcall

Cite this Entry

“Birdcall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/birdcall. Accessed 26 Apr. 2024.

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