lapwing
2 synonyms for lapwing, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A medium-sized wading bird of the plover family, especially the northern lapwing.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
peewit
pewit
How to use lapwing
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
a flock of lapwings
lapwings nesting
the call of a lapwing
lapwing eggs
Lapwing is a plain, neutral term used in ordinary nature writing.
Etymology
The word comes from Middle English forms such as lapwynge, which trace back to Old English hleapewince, itself a joining of a word meaning to leap and a word meaning to wink or make a sign, describing the bird's flight. Its modern spelling was later reshaped to look like the word wing, though that link is not the true...
Full origin of lapwing →Frequently asked questions
What is a lapwing?
A lapwing is a medium-sized wading bird belonging to the plover family, with the northern lapwing being the best known species.
Is a lapwing a type of plover?
Yes, lapwings belong to the subfamily Vanellinae within the wider plover family, Charadriidae.
Why is it called a lapwing?
The name comes from Old English words for leaping and winking, referring to the bird's distinctive way of flying rather than its wings.
