bald eagle

noun

: an eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) of North America that is brown when young with white only on the undersides of the wings but in full adult plumage has white head and neck feathers and a white tail

Illustration of bald eagle

Illustration of bald eagle

Examples of bald eagle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
There’s a set that celebrates postal workers, another depicting bald eagles at every life stage from awkward chick to majestic icon of Americana, and one that is smattered with colorful Route 66 landmarks. Megan Spurrell, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 July 2026 Fans, supporters and interested individuals from across the globe are also asking a barrage of questions about Jackie and bald eagles in general. Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 24 July 2026 Not permitted to care for bald eagles, the San Dimas team moved her to the Ojai facility later that day. Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 24 July 2026 According to the American Eagle Foundation, a lead fragment the size of a grain of rice is lethal to a mature bald eagle. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 23 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for bald eagle

Word History

First Known Use

1688, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bald eagle was in 1688

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bald eagle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bald%20eagle. Accessed 28 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

bald eagle

noun
: a North American eagle which is mostly brown when young but has white head, neck, and tail feathers when mature

More from Merriam-Webster on bald eagle

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster