Illustration of magpie
- magpie 1
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
1
: collected indiscriminately : miscellaneous
magpie compilations of unrelated tidbits—
Helen R. Cross
Helen R. Cross2
: given to indiscriminate collecting : acquisitive
what possible magpie instinct had impelled me to retain them—S. J. Perelman
S. J. PerelmanExamples 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
Tom Vanderbilt, Outside Online, 5 June 2025
The effect of a chunky gold costume jewelry necklace or a Victorian cocktail ring is transformative—drawing the eye of curious magpies and average onlookers to tell a story as unique as a gemstone or antique setting itself.
—Kristen Bateman, Vogue, 21 May 2025
Ebony-Renee Baker, refinery29.com, 4 Sep. 2024
The aloof downtown intellectual, named Luc by her Belgian parents, is a poetic essayist with a magpie mind and a talent for archive spelunking.
—Carl Swanson, Vulture, 9 Feb. 2024
See All Example Sentences for magpie
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Noun
Wayne is also a ferocious magpie of information, an endless spinner of theories and weaver of connections, a writer of feverish, private dispatches.
—Tom Vanderbilt, Outside Online, 5 June 2025
The effect of a chunky gold costume jewelry necklace or a Victorian cocktail ring is transformative—drawing the eye of curious magpies and average onlookers to tell a story as unique as a gemstone or antique setting itself.
—Kristen Bateman, Vogue, 21 May 2025
Adjective
Next Zara always nails its accessory selection, from stylish shoes to statement handbags and jewellery that will satisfy all your magpie cravings.
—Ebony-Renee Baker, refinery29.com, 4 Sep. 2024
The aloof downtown intellectual, named Luc by her Belgian parents, is a poetic essayist with a magpie mind and a talent for archive spelunking.
—Carl Swanson, Vulture, 9 Feb. 2024
See All Example Sentences for magpie
Cite this Entry
“Magpie.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/magpie. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
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