lark

1 of 3

noun (1)

: any of a family (Alaudidae) of chiefly Old World ground-dwelling songbirds that are usually brownish in color
especially : skylark compare meadowlark

lark

2 of 3

noun (2)

: a source of or quest for amusement or adventure
thought life was a lark
entered the race on a lark

lark

3 of 3

verb

larked; larking; larks

intransitive verb

: to engage in harmless fun or mischief
often used with about
larker noun

Examples of lark in a Sentence

Noun (2) the kids will have a grand lark at the carnival Verb we would rather lark about in the summer than get part-time jobs
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The problem is that Below Deck is a show about people who are in yachting and think that doing reality television will be a silly lark. Brian Moylan, Vulture, 1 Apr. 2024 It can be seen on rocks and in bushes, looking for insectivorous birds like larks, warblers and even raptors like falcons. Scott Travers, Forbes, 21 Sep. 2024 At first, the bumpy, jittery ride is fun, a lark, a way to pass the time. Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 8 Sep. 2024 But, despite her status as a trailblazer, her campaign—set against an entirely white, entirely male field of rivals for the Democratic Party’s nomination—was more often than not treated as a lark. Jelani Cobb, The New Yorker, 27 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for lark 

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

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English laveroc, laverke, from Old English lāwerce; akin to Old High German lērihha lark

Verb and Noun (2)

probably alteration of lake to frolic

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

circa 1811, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1813, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lark was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near lark

Cite this Entry

“Lark.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lark. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

lark

1 of 2 noun
: any of numerous Old World singing birds that are usually brownish in color and live on the ground
especially : skylark entry 1 compare meadowlark

lark

2 of 2 noun
: something done for fun or adventure
lark verb

More from Merriam-Webster on lark

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