woodpecker

noun

wood·​peck·​er ˈwu̇d-ˌpe-kər 

: 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

Examples of woodpecker in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Carl, who spent much of the day photographing bark and woodpeckers, was savoring his 12th night camping this season, a personal best. —Devon O’Neil, Outside, 15 Oct. 2025

Peanuts in the shell can be offered to large birds like woodpeckers, jays, and crows, which will cache them for the winter. —Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 15 Oct. 2025

Those woodpeckers managed to score 806 runs during the regular season – second in the NL behind the Dodgers. —Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 12 Oct. 2025

In woodpeckers and other birds, the wing joints are reinforced by a network of soft, prestressed connective tissue that helps absorb shocks from collisions with obstacles. —Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 23 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1530, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing woodpecker

• acorn woodpecker
• downy woodpecker
• hairy woodpecker
• ivory-billed woodpecker
• pileated woodpecker
• red-bellied woodpecker
• red-cockaded woodpecker

Rhymes for woodpecker

• exchequer
• checker
• chequer
• decker
• wrecker

Kids Definition

woodpecker

noun

wood·​peck·​er -ˌpek-ər 

: 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