avian
adjective
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Definition of avian
Examples of avian in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In 1962 Eero Saarinen revolutionized architecture with his TWA Flight Center, an avian—or maybe alien—shape looming over the the outskirts of John F. Kennedy (then called Idlewild) airport. — Steff Yotka, Vogue, "Louis Vuitton Wants to Turn Your Bag Into a TV," 9 May 2019 Hummingbirds weren’t the only avian fashion victims. — Susan Delson, WSJ, "Fashion’s Glorification—and Devastation—of Nature," 20 Apr. 2018 Many of the avian species around the Bay breed on or close to the ground, and the cats prey on them at their most vulnerable moments — sitting on their eggs or caring for their young. — David Streitfeld, New York Times, "As Google Feeds Cats, Owl Lovers Cry Foul," 26 May 2018 Officials say the fowl could potentially spread diseases like avian flu, which is why they're banned from coming here. — Sam Blum, Popular Mechanics, "Customs Officials Seize 70 Finches Crammed into Hair Rollers at John F. Kennedy Airport," 13 Dec. 2018 But without an entire dinosaur genome, genetic gaps would need to be bridged using other DNA—likely with something avian or reptilian. — Katherine J. Wu, Smithsonian, "Five Ways Real Science Would Make the New Jurassic World So Much Better," 12 June 2018 But where did this avian metaphor come from in the first place? — Ben Zimmer, WSJ, "How ‘Lame Duck’ Flew From the Stock Market to Politics," 30 Nov. 2018 That the world’s waterways are overwhelmed with plastic debris that breaks down into microscopic beads, killing off sea and avian life at a terrifying rate. — Steve Friess, SELF, "Why Environmentalist Lizzie Carr Is Paddleboarding 170 Miles Down the Hudson River," 7 Sep. 2018 The area has a surprisingly rich biodiversity of avian species, even attracting bald eagles in winter. — Todd Plummer, Condé Nast Traveler, "3 Best Day Trips From Boston," 9 Aug. 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'avian.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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From the Editors at Merriam-Webster
You Won't Believe These 10 Words Come...
You Won't Believe These 10 Words Come From Birds
You might believe number 11
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More Definitions for avian
avian
adjective
English Language Learners Definition of avian
See the full definition for avian in the English Language Learners Dictionary
avian
adjective
\
Medical Definition of avian
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