bird's-eye view

noun

Updated on: 19 Mar 2018

Definition of bird's-eye view

1 : a view from a high angle as if seen by a bird in flight

2 : an overall or cursory look at something

Recent Examples of bird's-eye view from the Web

Our tester had the Driver Assist Package ($1,675), which brought a 10-inch head-up display, a rearview camera and a bird's-eye view camera system that showed side-by-side with the rear view on the center dash audio screen.

— g. chambers williams iii, Houston Chronicle, "Stylishly redesigned Toyota Camry has lots of new technology, features," 16 Mar. 2018
The Sky Lobby was at one time one of the most popular spots in Houston for locals and tourists to get a bird's-eye view of downtown facing south.

— craig hlavaty, Houston Chronicle, "Closed since 2016, the Sky Lobby at the Chase Tower will reopen for one day for a good cause," 15 Feb. 2018
Zirwes is known for his other bird's-eye view shots of everything from farmland to parking lots.

— kelsey kloss, ELLE Decor, "7 Stunning Aerial Photos Of Pools Snapped From A Helicopter," 20 May 2016
Near the beginning of the film, Ai cuts from an overhead shot of a solitary bird flying across an ocean to another overhead shot of a raft filled with refugees—an invitation to take a bird's-eye view of events and consider the big picture.

— ben sachs, Chicago Reader, "With Human Flow, Ai Weiwei takes a global perspective on refugee crises," 2 Nov. 2017
Get a bird's-eye view of military operations, and learn about their effectiveness in defeating ISIS.

— CNN, "CNN 10 - November 1, 2017," 30 Oct. 2017
Patrick got a bird's-eye view of a Flyers team that slogged through the final game of a five-game homestand (3-2) that displayed the wild inconsistency of their offense.

— USA TODAY, "Ducks erupt, knock out Patrick in 6-2 win over Flyers," 24 Oct. 2017
But the plan is filled with bird's-eye views of bustling future development zones.

— steven litt, cleveland.com, "New 'Thrive 105-93' plan shows room for plenty of growth on Cleveland's impoverished East Side (photos)," 21 Sep. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bird's-eye view.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.