spoonbill
1 synonym for spoonbill, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A large, long-legged wading bird with a flat, spoon-shaped bill.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
paddlefish
How to use spoonbill
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
feeding spoonbill
spoonbill colony
The fish sense is chiefly used in American English.
Etymology
The name simply joins spoon and bill, describing the bird's flat, spoon-shaped beak.
Full origin of spoonbill →Frequently asked questions
What is a spoonbill?
It is usually a wading bird with a flat, spoon-shaped bill, though in the United States the name is also used for a fish known as the paddlefish.
Why is it called a spoonbill?
It gets its name from the shape of its bill, which is broad and flat like a spoon.
Is a spoonbill the same as a paddlefish?
In American usage, spoonbill is another name for the paddlefish, a large fish with a long flattened snout.
