bird's-eye

1 of 2

noun

1
: any of numerous plants with small bright-colored flowers
especially : a speedwell (Veronica chamaedrys)
2
a
: an allover pattern for textiles consisting of a small diamond with a center dot
b
: a fabric woven with this pattern
3
: a small spot in wood surrounded with an ellipse of concentric fibers

bird's-eye

2 of 2

adjective

1
: marked with spots resembling birds' eyes
2
: having or involving a bird's-eye view
bird's-eye perspective

Examples of bird's-eye in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Look to integrate any disparate systems for a more unified, bird's-eye view of operations. Nishith Rastogi, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024 From December through March, ski or snowshoe the seven-mile South Rim Drive to see a bird's-eye view of the Gunnison River nearly 3,000 feet below. Sarah L. Stewart, Travel + Leisure, 19 Oct. 2023 Additionally, stop near the state line closest to South Lake Tahoe for a scenic gondola ride to Heavenly Ski Resort, home to a viewing platform offering epic bird's-eye views of the lake along with tubing and ice skating. Skye Sherman, Travel + Leisure, 5 Oct. 2023 Check out one of the Sewanee campus overlooks, such as Morgan's Steep, Green's View, or The Cross, for a bird's-eye view of the changing leaves. Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 26 Sep. 2023 Drones are on the scene in an attempt to get a bird's-eye view of the situation. Eden Villalovas, Washington Examiner, 23 Aug. 2023 After a proper introduction to the area, hop on the gondola at Whiteface Mountain for a bird's-eye view of the colors, or rent a kayak and see the yellows, oranges, and reds from the water. Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 19 Aug. 2023 Its cobblestone streets guide visitors along artisanal shops and local eateries, while a walk along the wall itself offers spectacular bird's-eye views of the Adriatic coastline. Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 13 July 2023 The library installed a camera this year and set up a livestream feed so anyone could get a bird's-eye view of the family, and viewers have become endlessly engaged with the falcons. Annasofia Scheve, The Enquirer, 28 June 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bird's-eye.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1597, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1586, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bird's-eye was in 1586

Dictionary Entries Near bird's-eye

Cite this Entry

“Bird's-eye.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bird%27s-eye. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

bird's-eye

adjective
ˈbərd-ˌzī
1
a
: seen from above as if by a flying bird
bird's-eye view
b
: general entry 1 sense 3, cursory
a bird's-eye survey of American history
2
: having spots resembling birds' eyes
bird's-eye maple
also : made of wood containing such spots

More from Merriam-Webster on bird's-eye

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