redpoll

1 of 2

noun (1)

red·​poll ˈred-ˌpōl How to pronounce redpoll (audio)
: either of two small finches (genus Carduelis synonym Acanthis of the family Fringillidae) having brownish streaked plumage and a red or rosy crown
especially : one (C. flammea) found in northern regions of both the New and Old World

red poll

2 of 2

noun (2)

often capitalized R&P
: any of a breed of large hornless red beef cattle of English origin

Examples of redpoll in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Sightings at Race Point in Provincetown included 3 Pacific loons, 15 common murres, 450 razorbills, 35 black-legged kittiwakes, 60 Iceland gulls, a glaucous gull, and 2 common redpolls. BostonGlobe.com, 22 Mar. 2023 Two Lapland longspurs at the Longmeadow Flats and a common redpoll at a feeder in Granville. BostonGlobe.com, 17 Dec. 2022 Three redpoll species are currently recognized: common, hoary, and lesser (a Eurasian species). Paul A. Smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 2 Feb. 2022 Other reports included a Philadelphia vireo and a mourning warbler at Santuit Pond in Mashpee, a common redpoll at North Beach, and a cattle egret at South Monomoy Island. BostonGlobe.com, 23 Oct. 2021 Individual hoary redpolls were found among increasingly large common redpoll flocks in Sandwich and Wellfleet, which have numbered from 90-200. BostonGlobe.com, 20 Jan. 2021 Stiteler also suggests the Sax-Zim Bog between Duluth and Hibbing, a national birding destination and a winter habitat for birds like the great gray owl, the pine grosbeak and the hoary redpoll. Richard Chin, Star Tribune, 20 Dec. 2020 Miscellaneous: Among sightings were a Eurasian wigeon in Broad Cove in Somerset, a vesper sparrow off of Bakerville Road in Dartmouth, and a common redpoll at the Thoreau School Riverwalk in West Concord. BostonGlobe.com, 10 Nov. 2019 Meanwhile, the irruptive species—birds who irregularly migrate—like crossbills, redpolls, grosbeaks, and purple finches stayed north, resulting in lower talleys for the annual count in most of the United States. Mika McKinnon, Smithsonian, 15 Dec. 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'redpoll.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (2)

alteration of red polled

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1728, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1873, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of redpoll was in 1728

Dictionary Entries Near redpoll

Cite this Entry

“Redpoll.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/redpoll. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

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