woodpecker

noun

wood·​peck·​er ˈwu̇d-ˌpe-kər 

: any of numerous birds (family Picidae) with zygodactyl feet, stiff spiny tail feathers used in climbing or resting on tree trunks, a usually extensible tongue, a very hard bill used to drill the bark or wood of trees for insect food or to excavate nesting cavities, and generally showy parti-colored plumage

Illustration of woodpecker

Examples of woodpecker in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The saguaro, a towering icon of the Southwest, is found only in this region and can live for over 200 years, providing food and shelter for many creatures, including the elusive Gila woodpecker and Harris’s hawk. —Visit Tucson, AFAR Media, 21 Mar. 2025

The organization’s extensive landscape provides habitat for various resident and migratory birds–woodpeckers, waxwings, nuthatches, warblers, buntings, and tanagers, to name just a few. —Jamie Siebrase, Denver Post, 22 May 2025

Suet cakes are one of the best foods for attracting woodpeckers. —Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 May 2025

Local residents include woodpeckers, doves, crows, tawny owls and Little Sparrow Edith Piaf. —Sadie Stein, New York Times, 15 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1530, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing woodpecker

• acorn woodpecker
• downy woodpecker
• hairy woodpecker
• ivory-billed woodpecker
• pileated woodpecker
• red-bellied woodpecker
• red-cockaded woodpecker

Rhymes for woodpecker

• exchequer
• checker
• chequer
• decker
• wrecker

Kids Definition

woodpecker

noun

wood·​peck·​er -ˌpek-ər 

: any of numerous brightly marked birds with strong claws and stiff tail feathers used in climbing or resting on tree trunks, a long flexible tongue, and a very hard bill used to drill into trees to get insects for food and to dig out holes for nesting