plover

noun

plo·​ver ˈplə-vər How to pronounce plover (audio) ˈplō- How to pronounce plover (audio)
plural plover or plovers
1
: any of a family (Charadriidae) of shorebirds that differ from the sandpipers in having a short hard-tipped bill and usually a stouter more compact build
2
: any of various birds (such as a turnstone or sandpiper) related to the plovers

Examples of plover in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The fairways separate the hotel from a shimmering strand of beach where sand plovers congregated on the rocks and seals bobbed in the waves. Aaron Hicklin, Travel + Leisure, 19 Jan. 2024 Cape Cod: The mountain plover on Long Beach in Centerville has been seen by dozens since its discovery on July 21. BostonGlobe.com, 29 July 2023 Disturbance by humans and domestic animals like cats and dogs can also force migrating and wintering birds to expend unnecessary energy, which can lead breeding plovers to abandon their nests and young. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 15 Nov. 2023 In addition to being costly, coastal erosion associated with floods and storm surges threatens the habitat of shorebirds like sandpipers and plovers, as well as nesting turtles like the diamondback terrapin. Krista Langlois, Outside Online, 10 Mar. 2023 In December 1932, Hemingway hunted duck, quail, dove, plover and rabbit in Arkansas, said Sandra Spanier, a Penn State professor of English and general editor of the Hemingway Letters Project. Bill Bowden, Arkansas Online, 8 Oct. 2023 Signs also warn that the area is a habitat for the plover and the least tern. Saumya Gupta, Los Angeles Times, 1 Aug. 2023 Invited to the beach, their appetites will extend to other convenient food sources, such as plover eggs and chicks. Lindsay Crudele, BostonGlobe.com, 8 Aug. 2023 Recent bird sightings as reported to the Mass Audubon: The unequivocal rarity of last week was the continued presence of a mountain plover on Long Beach in Centerville that was enjoyed and photographed by many admirers for most of the week. BostonGlobe.com, 29 July 2023

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

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French plover, pluvier, from Vulgar Latin *pluviarius, from Latin pluvia rain — more at pluvial

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of plover was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near plover

Cite this Entry

“Plover.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plover. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

plover

noun
plural plover or plovers
: any of numerous shorebirds differing from the related sandpipers in having shorter bills

More from Merriam-Webster on plover

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