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

Noun

• chatterer
• jay

Adjective

• eclectic
• assorted
• varied

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

The air inside the house is puckered with the images of dead birds on TV; kookaburras, magpies, cockatoos, eastern rosellas, and lorikeets, their wings charred and their small bodies limp, washing up on the coastlines of this continent down under on the righthand side of the map. —Literary Hub, 10 July 2025

Experts suggest that not all magpies are aggressive. —Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 8 June 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

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