meadowlark

noun

mead·​ow·​lark ˈme-dō-ˌlärk 

-də-

: any of several American songbirds (genera Sturnella and Leistes of the family Icteridae) that are streaked brown above and in northernmost forms have a yellow breast marked with a black crescent

Illustration of meadowlark

Examples of meadowlark in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Meanwhile, cardinals, blue jays, robins, mockingbirds, catbirds, orioles, meadowlarks, goldfinches, buntings, and woodpeckers do not. Pick the right birdhouse: Opt for a birdhouse with untreated wood as the inner surface. —Molly Burford, Southern Living, 25 Feb. 2026

The eastern meadowlark requires open fields for feeding and nesting. —Charlotte Observer, 25 Sep. 2025

It’s also known for its birdlife, with meadowlarks, bobolinks, and migrating cranes using the prairie as seasonal habitat. —Iona Brannon, Travel + Leisure, 9 Sep. 2025

Lark buntings, mountain bluebirds and western meadowlarks are just a few of the passerines that thrive along the Red Deer River, while raptors like the sharp-shinned hawk and prairie falcon can sometimes be seen soaring high overhead. —Jared Ranahan, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1611, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for meadowlark

• disembark
• matriarch
• patriarch
• watermark
• arc
• ark
• bark
• barque
• dark
• hark
• lark
• marc

Kids Definition

meadowlark

noun

mead·​ow·​lark -ˌlärk 

: any of several North American songbirds that are largely brown and buff above with a yellow breast having a black V-shaped mark across it