plover

noun

plo·​ver ˈplə-vər  ˈplō- 

plural plover or plovers

1

: any of a family (Charadriidae) of shorebirds that differ from the sandpipers in having a short hard-tipped bill and usually a stouter more compact build

2

: any of various birds (such as a turnstone or sandpiper) related to the plovers

Examples of plover in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Besides piping plovers, there are two others on the federal list. —Jan Ellen Spiegel, Hartford Courant, 23 June 2025

The plovers remain vulnerable to predation, environmental changes and continuing beach development, according to the plover conservation team. —Sheryl De Vore, Chicago Tribune, 22 May 2025

The efforts include monitoring summer and wintering locations, banding the plovers and raising some that have lost their parents in captivity before releasing them into the wild. —Sheryl De Vore, Chicago Tribune, 22 May 2025

In one, there were tracks that reminded him of a small shorebird, such as a plover. —Amanda Schupak, CNN Money, 25 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French plover, pluvier, from Vulgar Latin *pluviarius, from Latin pluvia rain — more at pluvial

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing plover

• golden plover
• piping plover
• snowy plover

Rhymes for plover

• cover
• hover
• discover
• hardcover
• recover
• thereover
• uncover
• rediscover
• undercover

Kids Definition

plover

noun

plo·​ver ˈplə-vər  ˈplō-vər 

plural plover or plovers

: any of numerous shorebirds differing from the related sandpipers in having shorter bills