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
Justin Chang, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2025
Even the film’s animal characters paid homage to Korean culture, with Derpy the tiger inspired by the national animal and chokdo art, while Sassy the three-eyed magpie completed the traditional Korean artistic pairing.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 20 Sep. 2025
Ebony-Renee Baker, refinery29.com, 4 Sep. 2024
The language and structure of King’s sermons, tapping into this magpie tradition of oral performance, had many sources.
—Kwame Anthony Appiah, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2024
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Noun
Anderson is a rare and rangy breed of cinematic maximalist—a satirical quasi-historian and pop-cultural magpie with a gift for weaving disparate influences into a marvellously unruly synthesis.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2025
Even the film’s animal characters paid homage to Korean culture, with Derpy the tiger inspired by the national animal and chokdo art, while Sassy the three-eyed magpie completed the traditional Korean artistic pairing.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 20 Sep. 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 language and structure of King’s sermons, tapping into this magpie tradition of oral performance, had many sources.
—Kwame Anthony Appiah, New York Times, 22 Mar. 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 1 Oct. 2025.
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