roadrunner

noun road·run·ner \ ˈrōd-ˌrə-nər \

|Updated on: 17 Jul 2018

Definition of roadrunner

: a largely terrestrial bird (Geococcyx californianus) of the cuckoo family that has a long tail and a crest, is a speedy runner, and inhabits arid regions from the southwestern U.S. to Mexico; also : a closely related bird (G. velox) of Mexico and Central America

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Recent Examples of roadrunner from the Web

The ultimate get out of jail free card - terrorising defences with his impish skill, roadrunner legs and lethal R9-esque finishing.

— SI.com, "Why Didier Deschamps Is Still a Problem Regardless of Leading France to the World Cup Final," 12 July 2018
Kastmasters, spoons, slabs, roadrunners, and Rattletraps will all work well.

— tyler mahoney special to the star, kansascity, "Fishing report: Heat has slowed action on some lakes, but not all," 13 June 2018
Kastmasters, spoons, slabs, roadrunners, and Rattletraps will all work well.

— tyler mahoney special to the star, kansascity, "Fishing report: Heat has slowed action on some lakes, but not all," 13 June 2018
Kastmasters, spoons, slabs, roadrunners, and Rattletraps will all work well.

— tyler mahoney, kansascity, "Fishing report: Prospects for area waters, plus tips on finding fishing Facebook groups," 30 May 2018
Steve Wilson Two bird watchers on an birding mission in Agua Caliente Regional Park in Tucson filmed a snake and a roadrunner fighting in the wild.

— matthew martinez, star-telegram, "'I'm a snake! I'm a snake!' he yelled at Texas cops. Then he bit one of them, they say | Fort Worth Star-Telegram," 26 Apr. 2018
Two bird watchers on a peaceful outing at Agua Caliente Regional Park in Tuscon, Arizona, witnessed the brutal side of nature as a roadrunner and a snake engaged in an epic battle.

— david caraccio, sacbee, "This epic snake-vs.-roadrunner battle was caught on camera in the wild," 22 Mar. 2018
Not all roadrunners rate their own Google Maps designation.

— mary forgione, latimes.com, "Yeah, there's a giant bunny in that vineyard — no foolin' — and 9 animals, vegetables and antlers you'll want to stop and see," 1 Apr. 2018
Statistical comparison placed the bones of Archaeopteryx very close to those of mostly ground-dwelling birds such as pheasants and roadrunners, Voeten said.

— ashley strickland, CNN, "This 'enigmatic' feathered dinosaur didn't fly like modern birds," 13 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'roadrunner.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.