bird

noun, often attributive

\ ˈbərd

Definition of bird

(Entry 1 of 3)

1 archaic : the young of a feathered vertebrate

2 : any of a class (Aves) of warm-blooded vertebrates distinguished by having the body more or less completely covered with feathers and the forelimbs modified as wings

3 : a game bird

4 : clay pigeon

5a : fellow

b : a peculiar person

c chiefly British : girl

6 : shuttlecock

7 chiefly British

a : a hissing or jeering sound expressive of disapproval

b : dismissal from employment

8 : a thin piece of meat rolled up with stuffing and cooked

9 : a man-made object (such as an aircraft, rocket, or satellite) that resembles a bird especially by flying or being aloft

10 : an obscene gesture of contempt made by pointing the middle finger upward while keeping the other fingers down —usually used with the

— called also finger

11 : birdie sense 2

for the birds

: worthless, ridiculous

bird

verb

birded; birding; birds

Definition of bird (Entry 2 of 3)

intransitive verb

: to observe or identify wild birds in their habitats

Bird

biographical name

\ ˈbərd

Definition of Bird (Entry 3 of 3)

Larry 1956– Lawrence Joseph Bird American basketball player

Other Words from bird Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More about bird

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Examples of bird in a Sentence

Noun

A large bird flew overhead. The birds were singing outside our window. He's a tough old bird. We met some smashing birds at the pub last night.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Driven from historic nesting strongholds like the James River by pesticides in the 1970s, the national bird has become a success story. — Tamara Dietrich, baltimoresun.com, "Bald eagles have come back from the dead in the Chesapeake Bay," 13 July 2019 But how the lilacs bloomed that year ... how the bird cherry bloomed ... — Svetlana Alexievich, Vox, "“They lay pink on the cinders”," 12 July 2019 Veterinarians were forced to euthanize the corella birds that hadn't already died. — Joshua Bote, USA TODAY, "Dozens of birds fall from the sky like 'a horror movie.' They were poisoned, experts say," 12 July 2019 When let out of the cage, the bird flies a short distance to perch atop a child’s head. — Jane Stueckemann, Houston Chronicle, "25th anniversary of WOW! science camp in The Woodlands brings animals, experiments to campers," 12 July 2019 Crowley and his friends took a picture of the bird and sent it to the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah. — Ryan Prior, CNN, "After a man had a few too many drinks, he sent an injured baby bird to a wildlife rescue center -- in an Uber," 10 July 2019 Snowball and the other dancing birds have bonded with humans. — Author: Jason Bittel, Anchorage Daily News, "Snowball the cockatoo taught himself 14 dance moves, scientists say," 9 July 2019 As the couple watched, the birds plummeted into the water in a backwater area near the Wisconsin side of the river. — Mary Divine, Twin Cities, "Dramatic eagle rescue in Marine on St. Croix," 8 July 2019 Of all the birds, the rooster has long held a special esteem with the French. — Natasha Frost, Quartzy, "A French rooster called Maurice is being sued by his neighbors," 6 July 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

This area features 7,155 acres of bottomland forest along the Sipsey River available for canoeing, birding, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, biking, picnicking and wildlife photography. — Frank Sargeant, al.com, "Lake Eufaula turns out huge catches in Alabama Bass Trail Event," 19 June 2019 Download the Great Birding Guide from the Galveston Island Nature Tourism Council to find the area's top birding locations. — Houston Chronicle, "Have fun in Galveston without breaking the bank," 14 June 2019 But the elision of bird-birder-birding somehow touched the beyond, and birding is now the word of choice.... — Laura Jacobs, WSJ, "Book Review: Why Birders Flock Together," 17 May 2019 Its filmmaker, Jeffrey Kimball, an urban birding convert, captured four seasons of Central Park’s birding community in an engaging portrait of its singular characters. — Penelope Green, New York Times, "Young Urban Birders, Open Your Hearts to the Treetops!," 23 June 2018 EASY PEEPERS North River Wildlife Sanctuary offers birding by van at monthly outings. — Robert Knox, BostonGlobe.com, "Floral art makes the books bloom in Norwell," 20 Apr. 2018 But instead of writing the obvious profile, Taffy made birding the foundation for a story about a man who, in the age of sharing, has built a fence around himself. — Emilia Petrarca, The Cut, "What Paris Couture and Jonathan Franzen Have in Common," 6 July 2018 Courtesy of Crystal Lagoon Fishing piers, birding trails, wildlife blinds, butterfly gardens, bicycle paths and playgrounds. — Houston Chronicle, "Houston nature centers and preserves," 10 May 2018 Kuchar, ranked 21st in the world, stood at 1 under after his first 11 holes before birding four of his final seven — all on putts of 15 feet or less — to move into second. — BostonGlobe.com, "Rory Sabbatini surges to early RBC Heritage lead; No. 1 Dustin Johnson five back," 13 Apr. 2018

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