yellowlegs

noun

yel·​low·​legs ˈye-lō-ˌlegz How to pronounce yellowlegs (audio)
ˈye-lə-,
-ˌlāgz
plural in form but singular or plural in construction
: either of two American shorebirds of the sandpiper family with yellow legs:

Examples of yellowlegs in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web These are people who can tell a greater yellowlegs from a lesser yellowlegs even when there’s only one of them. Murr Brewster, The Christian Science Monitor, 6 May 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'yellowlegs.' 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

circa 1772, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of yellowlegs was circa 1772

Dictionary Entries Near yellowlegs

Cite this Entry

“Yellowlegs.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/yellowlegs. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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