thunderbird
noun
thun·der·bird
ˈthən-dər-ˌbərd 
plural thunderbirds
: a bird that causes lightning and thunder in North American Indigenous myth
Examples of thunderbird in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
His olive-green newsboy cap, with a silver thunderbird pin on its peak, is tossed on the bed.
—
Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 8 June 2026
Depictions of the thunderbird appear in a number of his paintings.
—Roland Martin, Encyclopedia Britannica, 4 June 2026
The building itself, a 13-story Art Deco gem from the 1920s, still holds onto its old-school charm and refinement, right down to the hushed lobby and three massive stone thunderbirds on its façade.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 3 Apr. 2025
When coming up with ideas for the layout, Wiggins drew on a napkin an old Ojibwe story about the area being the nest of the thunderbirds.
—Caitlin Looby, Journal Sentinel, 2 July 2024
The group's website shows leaders also wearing thunderbird pendants around their necks.
—Daniel Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 5 Apr. 2024
Like the totem poles, which often contain symbolic imagery depicted in family crests, the petroglyphs feature similar animals, such as killer whales, thunderbirds, salmon and ravens.
—Jennifer Nalewicki, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Mar. 2023
One tale describes a struggle between a thunderbird and a whale that caused the earth to shake and the ocean to wash away people and homes.
—Washington Post, 16 Aug. 2019
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Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 8 June 2026
Depictions of the thunderbird appear in a number of his paintings.
—Roland Martin, Encyclopedia Britannica, 4 June 2026
The building itself, a 13-story Art Deco gem from the 1920s, still holds onto its old-school charm and refinement, right down to the hushed lobby and three massive stone thunderbirds on its façade.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 3 Apr. 2025
When coming up with ideas for the layout, Wiggins drew on a napkin an old Ojibwe story about the area being the nest of the thunderbirds.
—Caitlin Looby, Journal Sentinel, 2 July 2024
The group's website shows leaders also wearing thunderbird pendants around their necks.
—Daniel Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 5 Apr. 2024
Like the totem poles, which often contain symbolic imagery depicted in family crests, the petroglyphs feature similar animals, such as killer whales, thunderbirds, salmon and ravens.
—Jennifer Nalewicki, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Mar. 2023
One tale describes a struggle between a thunderbird and a whale that caused the earth to shake and the ocean to wash away people and homes.
—Washington Post, 16 Aug. 2019
Cite this Entry
“Thunderbird.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thunderbird. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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