roadrunner

noun

road·​run·​ner ˈrōd-ˌrə-nər How to pronounce roadrunner (audio)
: a largely terrestrial bird (Geococcyx californianus) of the cuckoo family that has a long tail and a crest, is a speedy runner, and inhabits arid regions from the southwestern U.S. to Mexico
also : a closely related bird (G. velox) of Mexico and Central America

Illustration of roadrunner

Illustration of roadrunner

Examples of roadrunner 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.
For years, the Padres have been the coyote chasing the roadrunner. — Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 14 Aug. 2025 Non-canid predators like roadrunners and grasshopper mice did not trigger the response at all. — Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 13 Apr. 2026 But so too do hummingbirds, robins, hawks, wild turkeys, roadrunners, New Mexico’s avian mascot. — Deb Haaland, AZCentral.com, 13 Jan. 2025 As a seminal 1992 study from Copeia notes, non-canid predators (specifically roadrunners and grasshopper mice) were found not to elicit the blood-squirting response. — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for roadrunner

Word History

First Known Use

1856, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of roadrunner was in 1856

Rhymes for roadrunner

See All Rhymes for roadrunner

Browse Nearby Words

road roller
roadrunner
road shock
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Cite this Entry

“Roadrunner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/roadrunner. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

roadrunner

noun
road·​run·​ner ˈrō-ˌdrən-ər How to pronounce roadrunner (audio)
: a long-tailed ground-dwelling bird of the southwestern U.S. that usually travels by running

called also chaparral bird, chaparral cock

More from Merriam-Webster on roadrunner

Nglish: Translation of roadrunner for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about roadrunner

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