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noun B2 Upper-Intermediate

skylark

SKEYE-lahk

Skylark (noun) means a small brown European bird known for singing while flying high in the air. Example: “A skylark sang overhead as we walked across the meadow.”

noun
1
A small brown European bird known for singing while flying high in the air.
"A skylark sang overhead as we walked across the meadow."
verb
1
(informal) To play around or fool about joyfully.
"The sailors were skylarking on deck during their break."

How to use skylark

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA songbird that sings high in the sky — or, informally, to mess about playfully.

Word forms

skylarked past tense, skylarks plural, skylarks singular

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A _____ sang overhead as we walked across the meadow.

Etymology

From "sky" plus "lark" (the bird); the verb sense arose around 1809 among sailors, possibly influenced by a northern English dialect word for "to play".

· First attested 1809

Class of 1809 skylark joined the language around 1809.
See the full Class of 1809 →

Related words

Frequently asked questions

What does “skylark” mean?

The word “skylark” means a small brown European bird known for singing while flying high in the air. In plain terms, a songbird that sings high in the sky — or, informally, to mess about playfully.

How do you pronounce “skylark”?

“Skylark” is pronounced SKEYE-lahk (/ˈskaɪlɑɹk/ in IPA).

How do you use “skylark” in a sentence?

Here is “skylark” used in a sentence: “A skylark sang overhead as we walked across the meadow.”

What part of speech is “skylark”?

Depending on how it is used, “skylark” can be a noun and a verb.

Where does the word “skylark” come from?

The word “skylark” dates back to around 1809. From "sky" plus "lark" (the bird); the verb sense arose around 1809 among sailors, possibly influenced by a northern English dialect word for "to play".

How many meanings does “skylark” have?

“Skylark” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a small brown European bird known for singing while flying high in the air.

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