magpie

1 of 2

noun

mag·​pie ˈmag-ˌpī 

1

: any of various birds (especially Pica pica) related to the jays but having a long graduated tail and black-and-white or brightly colored plumage

2

: a person who chatters noisily

3

: one who collects indiscriminately

Illustration of magpie

• magpie 1

magpie

2 of 2

adjective

1

: collected indiscriminately : miscellaneous

… magpie compilations of unrelated tidbits …

—Helen R. Cross

2

: given to indiscriminate collecting : acquisitive

… what possible magpie instinct had impelled me to retain them …

—S. J. Perelman

Synonyms of magpie

Noun

• chatterer
• jay

Adjective

• eclectic

Examples of magpie in a Sentence

Noun

media magpies will no doubt seize upon the president's latest gaffe and blow it all out of proportion

Adjective

a pack rat whose cramped apartment is filled with a magpie collection of books, old newspapers, and tchotchkes

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Her magpie collecting led her to her early jewelry, with friends asking her for pieces. — Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 19 Oct. 2026

Other magpies gathered around it, as if saddened and confused. — Rivka Galchen, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026

Adjective

Freedom and bricolage, magpie eclecticism and uninhibited fun appeared to be the order of the day. — Leslie Camhi, New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2026

Lloyd Webber’s score is a natural fit for this interpretation because of his magpie instincts. — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Mag (nickname for Margaret) + pie entry 2

First Known Use

Noun

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1796, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for magpie

• ai
• aye
• bae
• bi
• buy
• by
• bye
• chai
• chi
• cry
• die
• dry

Kids Definition

magpie

noun

mag·​pie

ˈmag-ˌpī

1

: any of various noisy birds related to the jays but having a long tail and black-and-white feathers

2

: a person who chatters constantly