Illustration of magpie
- magpie 1
1
: any of various birds (especially Pica pica) related to the jays but having a long graduated tail and black-and-white or brightly colored plumage
2
: a person who chatters noisily
3
: one who collects indiscriminately
1
: collected indiscriminately : miscellaneous
… magpie compilations of unrelated tidbits …—
Helen R. Cross
Helen R. Cross2
: given to indiscriminate collecting : acquisitive
… what possible magpie instinct had impelled me to retain them …—S. J. Perelman
S. J. PerelmanExamples of magpie in a Sentence
Noun
media magpies will no doubt seize upon the president's latest gaffe and blow it all out of proportion
Adjective
a pack rat whose cramped apartment is filled with a magpie collection of books, old newspapers, and tchotchkes
Recent Examples on the Web
Kate Aurthur,
Variety,
24 June 2026
Over to the corvid family for some intelligence, and the raven gets the nod for its size advantage over the magpie and the jay.
—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
8 Apr. 2026
The chain-mail that has become synonymous with the brand also popped up, but was used in a more magpie way, paired with clashing chunky knits.
—
Kevin Huynh,
InStyle,
12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for magpie
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Noun
Even the New York Times got in on the action, with a profile of the eccentric Sitwell (the charms her magpie, Hecate, are impossible to resist).
—
Kate Aurthur,
Variety,
24 June 2026
Over to the corvid family for some intelligence, and the raven gets the nod for its size advantage over the magpie and the jay.
—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
Adjective
Lloyd Webber’s score is a natural fit for this interpretation because of his magpie instincts.
—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
8 Apr. 2026
The chain-mail that has become synonymous with the brand also popped up, but was used in a more magpie way, paired with clashing chunky knits.
—
Kevin Huynh,
InStyle,
12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for magpie
Cite this Entry
“Magpie.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/magpie. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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