oystercatcher

noun

oys·​ter·​catch·​er ˈȯi-stər-ˌka-chər How to pronounce oystercatcher (audio)
-ˌke-
: any of a family (Haematopodidae containing a single genus Haematopus) of wading birds that have stout legs, a heavy wedge-shaped bill, and often black-and-white plumage

Illustration of oystercatcher

Illustration of oystercatcher

Examples of oystercatcher 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.
On a recent day, a flock of some 30 were perched in the distance — scattering when a pair of squawking oystercatchers alerted them to visitors. — ABC News, 30 May 2026 Keep an eye out for New Zealand dotterels and variable oystercatchers, which nest in the dunes. — Madeline Bilis, Travel + Leisure, 8 Mar. 2026 Sea thrift and marram grass fringe the dunes—while oystercatchers tiptoe along the tideline. — Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025 The most vulnerable shorebirds on Florida’s Gulf and Atlantic coasts, including in Volusia and Brevard, are the American oystercatchers, Black Skimmers, Least Terns, and Wilson’s and Snowy Plovers. — Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for oystercatcher

Word History

First Known Use

1731, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of oystercatcher was in 1731

Rhymes for oystercatcher

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Browse Nearby Words

oysterbird
oystercatcher
oyster crab
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Oystercatcher.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oystercatcher. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

oyster catcher

noun
: any of several wading birds with stout legs, a heavy wedge-shaped bill, and often black and white plumage

More from Merriam-Webster on oystercatcher

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about oystercatcher

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