Illustration of whip-poor-will
whip-poor-will
noun
ˈ(h)wi-pər-ˌwil 
ˌ(h)wi-pər-ˈwil
: a nocturnal nightjar (Caprimulgus vociferus) of chiefly eastern North America with a loud repeated call suggestive of its name
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Common Misspellings
whiperwill, whipoorwill, whiporwil, whiporwill, whipowill, whipperwill, whippoorwill, whipporwill, whippowill
Examples of whip-poor-will in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Nocturnal birds such as owls and whip-poor-wills began to call.
—
Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Apr. 2024
The Mexican whip-poor-will, which can be found in the southwestern U.S., has a call that sounds like its name.
—Alexandra Marvar, New York Times, 3 Aug. 2023
Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Apr. 2024
The Mexican whip-poor-will, which can be found in the southwestern U.S., has a call that sounds like its name.
—Alexandra Marvar, New York Times, 3 Aug. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'whip-poor-will.' 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
imitative
First Known Use
1709, in the meaning defined above
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Cite this Entry
“Whip-poor-will.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whip-poor-will. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
whip-poor-will
nounˈhwip-ər-ˌwil,
ˌhwip-ər-ˈwil,
ˈwip-,
ˌwip-
: an insect-eating bird of the eastern U.S. and Canada that is active at night and has a loud repeated call which sounds like its name
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