Illustration of roadrunner
roadrunner
noun
road·run·ner
ˈrōd-ˌrə-nər 
: 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
Examples of roadrunner in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Modern-day birds like the northern mockingbird and the greater roadrunner use their feathers to forage for food.
—
Elizabeth Gamillo, Discover Magazine, 25 Jan. 2024
Greater roadrunner The greater roadrunner is New Mexico's state bird.
—Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 25 July 2023
Hell, Greg Federman noted, many patrons even have names for the roadrunners and crows wandering outside the bar and through the village.
—Mark Eddington, The Salt Lake Tribune, 22 July 2023
The post, featuring a stark photo of the roadrunner, was flooded with hundreds of comments, many of them suggestions for naming the bird.
—Jonathan Edwards, Washington Post, 12 June 2023
Bird lovers will see roadrunner, wren, cardinal, gamble quail and desert owls (also: keep your eyes peeled for golden eagles).
—Kate Donnelly, Forbes, 17 July 2023
Maybe the roadrunner just doesn’t have a career in competitive swimming.
—Karla L. Miller, Anchorage Daily News, 7 July 2023
Baby roadrunner reaches bird rescue after 660-mile journey 0:20 A roadrunner hitched a nearly 3,000-mile ride from Vegas to Maine.
—Jonathan Edwards, Washington Post, 12 June 2023
Miles the roadrunner wasn’t long for this world — 120 hours, give or take — but not for lack of trying.
—Jonathan Edwards, Washington Post, 12 June 2023
Elizabeth Gamillo, Discover Magazine, 25 Jan. 2024
Greater roadrunner The greater roadrunner is New Mexico's state bird.
—Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 25 July 2023
Hell, Greg Federman noted, many patrons even have names for the roadrunners and crows wandering outside the bar and through the village.
—Mark Eddington, The Salt Lake Tribune, 22 July 2023
The post, featuring a stark photo of the roadrunner, was flooded with hundreds of comments, many of them suggestions for naming the bird.
—Jonathan Edwards, Washington Post, 12 June 2023
Bird lovers will see roadrunner, wren, cardinal, gamble quail and desert owls (also: keep your eyes peeled for golden eagles).
—Kate Donnelly, Forbes, 17 July 2023
Maybe the roadrunner just doesn’t have a career in competitive swimming.
—Karla L. Miller, Anchorage Daily News, 7 July 2023
Baby roadrunner reaches bird rescue after 660-mile journey 0:20 A roadrunner hitched a nearly 3,000-mile ride from Vegas to Maine.
—Jonathan Edwards, Washington Post, 12 June 2023
Miles the roadrunner wasn’t long for this world — 120 hours, give or take — but not for lack of trying.
—Jonathan Edwards, Washington Post, 12 June 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'roadrunner.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1856, in the meaning defined above
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Cite this Entry
“Roadrunner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/roadrunner. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
roadrunner
noun
road·run·ner
ˈrō-ˌdrən-ər
: a long-tailed ground-dwelling bird of the southwestern U.S. that usually travels by running
called also chaparral bird, chaparral cock
More from Merriam-Webster on roadrunner
Nglish: Translation of roadrunner for Spanish Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about roadrunner
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