waxbill

noun

wax·​bill ˈwaks-ˌbil How to pronounce waxbill (audio)
: any of numerous Old World oscine birds (family Estrildidae, especially genus Estrilda) having white, pink, or reddish bills of a waxy appearance

Word History

First Known Use

1757, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of waxbill was in 1757

Dictionary Entries Near waxbill

waxberry cornel

waxbill

wax-billed

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Waxbill.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/waxbill. Accessed 1 Feb. 2023.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on waxbill

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about waxbill

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of eleemosynary

See Definitions and Examples »

Test Your Vocabulary

Fashionable Words

  • dog-sunglasses-scarf
  • Which of these items is named for a deadly weapon?
Name That Thing

You know what it looks like… but what is it called?

TAKE THE QUIZ
Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can with using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.

Can you make 12 words with 7 letters?

PLAY
Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games