bustard

noun

bus·​tard ˈbə-stərd 

: any of a family (Otididae) of large chiefly terrestrial Old World and Australian game birds

Examples of bustard in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Hunters use them to chase the houbara bustard across deserts in the Gulf, Iraq, and Pakistan — not just for sport, but also for meat believed to have aphrodisiac qualities. — Manal Albarakati, semafor.com, 27 Aug. 2025

The great bustard, though sometimes larger than the Andean condor, is not nearly as capable a flyer. — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 27 July 2025

Several species of modern birds—which are the descendants of dinosaurs—congregate at leks for the same reason, including greater sage-grouse and great bustards. — Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 July 2025

The population in Morocco is the only group of great bustards in Africa, and researchers said because of their genetic difference to the Spain population, there was previous debate about how long great bustards have lived on the continent. — Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2025

Recent findings suggest their death rituals included the great bustard. — Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 17 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, modification of Middle French bistarde, from Old Italian bistarda, from Latin avis tarda, literally, slow bird

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for bustard

• blustered
• clustered
• custard
• flustered
• mustard
• mustered