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Definition of magpie
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
From the M-W Editors
Examples of magpie in a Sentence
media magpies will no doubt seize upon the president's latest gaffe and blow it all out of proportion
Recent Examples of magpie from the Web
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According to MacGraw, the fashion industry flocked to women with a certain undone, magpie kind of flair during that time, and designers especially took note.
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Ravens and other members of the corvid family (crows, jays, and magpies) are known to be intelligent.
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There's a bobcat for $500, several magpie skulls for $10 each and small bags of assorted animal bones for $5.
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Bird species such as crows, jays and magpies are particularly susceptible to the virus.
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Ms. Hall’s aesthetic of extreme orderliness is largely a reaction to the magpie mind-set of her parents, whose Victorian house in San Francisco is piled high and haphazardly with miscellany dating back five decades.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'magpie'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Illustration of magpie
Origin and Etymology of magpie
Mag (nickname for Margaret) + 1pie
magpie
Definition of magpie
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
Examples of magpie in a Sentence
a pack rat whose cramped apartment is filled with a magpie collection of books, old newspapers, and tchotchkes
First Known Use of magpie
1796
MAGPIE Defined for English Language Learners
magpie
playDefinition of magpie for English Language Learners
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: a noisy black-and-white bird
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: a person who collects and keeps different things
MAGPIE Defined for Kids
magpie
playDefinition of magpie for Students
: a noisy black-and-white bird related to the jays
Learn More about magpie
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See words that rhyme with magpie Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for magpie Spanish Central: Translation of magpie Nglish: Translation of magpie for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about magpie
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