kingfisher
noun
king·fish·er
ˈkiŋ-ˌfi-shər 
: any of numerous nonpasserine birds (family Alcedinidae) that are usually crested and bright-colored with a short tail and a long stout sharp bill
Examples of kingfisher in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Not all kingfishers feast on fish—some eat bugs, lizards and even other birds.
—
Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Nov. 2023
Scientists have been studying this phenomenon for a very long time, including recent work on diving birds like gannets and kingfishers.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 6 Nov. 2023
Back in 2005, the engineers who designed Japan's famous bullet trains adapted their design based on kingfisher beaks.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 24 Oct. 2023
Olympic National Park - Washington Birds of Olympic National Park:Bald eagle, Western gull, Red-breasted sapsucker, Woodpecker, Belted kingfisher, Steller’s and Gray jay, Blue grouse, Peregrine falcon and Northern pygmy owl.
—Camille Fine, USA TODAY, 29 July 2023
Birds of Big Bend National Park: Vermillion flycatcher, Colima warbler, Mexican jay, Lucifer hummingbird and Green kingfisher.
—Camille Fine, USA TODAY, 29 July 2023
This spring, students started creating the kingfisher costume.
—Olivia Alexander, Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 2023
Ask Amy Still no official decision on U. of I. mascot, but the belted kingfisher is waiting in the wings In 2007, the university retired Chief Illiniwek, a fictional American Indian figure.
—Chicago Tribune Staff, Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 2023
Nakatsu had at one point observed the natural and graceful entry of a kingfisher diving into water without a splash at high speeds.
—Ajay Jotwani, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2023
See More
Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Nov. 2023
Scientists have been studying this phenomenon for a very long time, including recent work on diving birds like gannets and kingfishers.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 6 Nov. 2023
Back in 2005, the engineers who designed Japan's famous bullet trains adapted their design based on kingfisher beaks.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 24 Oct. 2023
Olympic National Park - Washington Birds of Olympic National Park:Bald eagle, Western gull, Red-breasted sapsucker, Woodpecker, Belted kingfisher, Steller’s and Gray jay, Blue grouse, Peregrine falcon and Northern pygmy owl.
—Camille Fine, USA TODAY, 29 July 2023
Birds of Big Bend National Park: Vermillion flycatcher, Colima warbler, Mexican jay, Lucifer hummingbird and Green kingfisher.
—Camille Fine, USA TODAY, 29 July 2023
This spring, students started creating the kingfisher costume.
—Olivia Alexander, Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 2023
Ask Amy Still no official decision on U. of I. mascot, but the belted kingfisher is waiting in the wings In 2007, the university retired Chief Illiniwek, a fictional American Indian figure.
—Chicago Tribune Staff, Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 2023
Nakatsu had at one point observed the natural and graceful entry of a kingfisher diving into water without a splash at high speeds.
—Ajay Jotwani, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'kingfisher.' 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
1611, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing kingfisher
Dictionary Entries Near kingfisher
Cite this Entry
“Kingfisher.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kingfisher. Accessed 7 Dec. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
kingfisher
noun
king·fish·er
-ˌfish-ər
: any of various bright-colored birds with a short tail, a long stout sharp bill, and usually a crest on the head
More from Merriam-Webster on kingfisher
Nglish: Translation of kingfisher for Spanish Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about kingfisher
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share