kingfisher

noun

king·​fish·​er ˈkiŋ-ˌfi-shər How to pronounce kingfisher (audio)
: any of numerous nonpasserine birds (family Alcedinidae) that are usually crested and bright-colored with a short tail and a long stout sharp bill

Examples of kingfisher in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The Beverly Crest community, off Providence Road, produced ruddy ducks and another kingfisher. Taylor Piephoff, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024 Using their exacting sense of smell, minks prey on small animals—including salmon, moorhens, kingfishers and frogs. Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Jan. 2024 Another local artist, Howard Connelly, crafted a metal bird sculpture to place on top of the phone stand, and the phone was then ready for users to call up the sounds of wood ducks, kingfishers and mourning doves. Cathy Free, Washington Post, 15 Jan. 2024 Easier is the lone white-throated kingfisher, with his brilliant blue feathers and long red bill, sitting staidly on the electricity wires. Hazlitt, 13 Dec. 2023 Not all kingfishers feast on fish—some eat bugs, lizards and even other birds. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Nov. 2023 Scientists have been studying this phenomenon for a very long time, including recent work on diving birds like gannets and kingfishers. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 6 Nov. 2023 Back in 2005, the engineers who designed Japan's famous bullet trains adapted their design based on kingfisher beaks. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 24 Oct. 2023 Olympic National Park - Washington Birds of Olympic National Park:Bald eagle, Western gull, Red-breasted sapsucker, Woodpecker, Belted kingfisher, Steller’s and Gray jay, Blue grouse, Peregrine falcon and Northern pygmy owl. Camille Fine, USA TODAY, 29 July 2023

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

1611, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of kingfisher was in 1611

Dictionary Entries Near kingfisher

Cite this Entry

“Kingfisher.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kingfisher. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

kingfisher

noun
king·​fish·​er -ˌfish-ər How to pronounce kingfisher (audio)
: any of various bright-colored birds with a short tail, a long stout sharp bill, and usually a crest on the head

More from Merriam-Webster on kingfisher

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!