woodpecker

noun

wood·​peck·​er ˈwu̇d-ˌpe-kər How to pronounce woodpecker (audio)
: any of numerous birds (family Picidae) with zygodactyl feet, stiff spiny tail feathers used in climbing or resting on tree trunks, a usually extensible tongue, a very hard bill used to drill the bark or wood of trees for insect food or to excavate nesting cavities, and generally showy parti-colored plumage

Illustration of woodpecker

Illustration of woodpecker

Examples of woodpecker in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Another potential sign is an increase in woodpecker activity in the affected tree. Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 27 Aug. 2025 And that is not subject to the same kind of constraint as the beak of the finch cracking a nut, or a woodpecker pounding into a tree to get food. Quanta Magazine, 21 Aug. 2025 Listen to snippets of Woodland Songs that are graceful like a deer, staccato like a woodpecker and frenetic like a squirrel. Brittney Melton, NPR, 21 Aug. 2025 In addition to flycatchers, shrikes and some owls, bird species commonly trapped include bluebirds, woodpeckers, sparrows, and kestrels. Grrlscientist, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for woodpecker

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1530, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of woodpecker was circa 1530

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Cite this Entry

“Woodpecker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/woodpecker. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

woodpecker

noun
wood·​peck·​er -ˌpek-ər How to pronounce woodpecker (audio)
: any of numerous brightly marked birds with strong claws and stiff tail feathers used in climbing or resting on tree trunks, a long flexible tongue, and a very hard bill used to drill into trees to get insects for food and to dig out holes for nesting

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