Illustration of bird
- 1 crest
- 2 crown
- 3 bill
- 4 throat
- 5 auricular region
- 6 breast
- 7 scapulars
- 8 abdomen
- 9 tarsus
- 10 upper wing coverts
- 11 primaries
- 12 secondaries
- 13 rectrix
- 14 tail
often attributive
1
archaic
: the young of a feathered vertebrate
2
: any of a class (Aves) of warm-blooded vertebrates distinguished by having the body more or less completely covered with feathers and the forelimbs modified as wings
3
: a game bird
4
6
7
chiefly British
a
: a hissing or jeering sound expressive of disapproval
b
: dismissal from employment
8
: a thin piece of meat rolled up with stuffing and cooked
9
: a man-made object (such as an aircraft, rocket, or satellite) that resembles a bird especially by flying or being aloft
10
: an obscene gesture of contempt made by pointing the middle finger upward while keeping the other fingers down
—usually used with the
called also finger
11
see also:
Examples of bird in a Sentence
Noun
A large bird flew overhead.
The birds were singing outside our window.
He's a tough old bird.
We met some smashing birds at the pub last night.
Recent Examples on the Web
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
6 July 2026
Create a Welcoming Habitat Lindsey Chastain, an expert in homesteading and domestic birds, says that creating a welcoming habitat for birds means different things for different birds.
—
The Spruce,
5 July 2026
Evgenia Anastasakos,
Chicago Tribune,
21 June 2026
Is birding good for your brain and mental health?
—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
18 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for bird
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Noun
Most of us bird-lovers buy the birdseed for the birds and aren’t interested in sharing with any four-legged critters.
—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
6 July 2026
Create a Welcoming Habitat Lindsey Chastain, an expert in homesteading and domestic birds, says that creating a welcoming habitat for birds means different things for different birds.
—
The Spruce,
5 July 2026
Verb
Others, like Rachel Flores, have been birding with the BIPOC Birders for several years.
—
Evgenia Anastasakos,
Chicago Tribune,
21 June 2026
Is birding good for your brain and mental health?
—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
18 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for bird
Cite this Entry
“Bird.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bird. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bird
1 of 2 noun1
: any of a class of warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrate animals with the body covered with feathers and the forelimbs modified as wings
2
: individual sense 2, fellow
especially
: a peculiar person
bird
2 of 2 verb
: to observe or identify wild birds in their natural environment
birder
noun
Biographical Definition
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