noun
woodpecker
WUUD-peh-kuh
Woodpecker (noun) means a bird with a strong, pointed beak that it uses to peck holes in tree trunks, searching for insects or making a nest. Example: “We could hear a woodpecker drumming on a hollow tree in the distance.”
noun
1
A bird with a strong, pointed beak that it uses to peck holes in tree trunks, searching for insects or making a nest.
"Birdwatchers would enjoy a host of sparrows, a herd of swans, a descent of woodpeckers, a herd of wrens, and mutation of thrushes."
— Virginia Wildlife, Virginia Commission of Game and Inland Fisheries (1984)
"His skin was scarlet like the head of the green woodpecker."
— Eric Rücker Eddison, The Worm Ouroboros: A Romance (1922)
"An adult female of this rare woodpecker was taken at 6,000 feet in April 1925 near Chingchuan in the forests of northern Szechuan."
— Outram Bangs, Birds Collected by Dr. Joseph F. Rock in Western Kansu and Eastern Tibet (1928)
"We could hear a woodpecker drumming on a hollow tree in the distance."
How to use woodpecker
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA tree-dwelling bird famous for hammering its beak into wood, both to find food and to signal or nest.
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Word forms
- Plural
- woodpeckers
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
We could hear a _____ drumming on a hollow tree in the distance.
Etymology
A compound of "wood" and "pecker," describing its habit of pecking into wood.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for woodpecker
See all rhymes for woodpecker →Frequently asked questions
What does “woodpecker” mean?
The word “woodpecker” means a bird with a strong, pointed beak that it uses to peck holes in tree trunks, searching for insects or making a nest. In plain terms, a tree-dwelling bird famous for hammering its beak into wood, both to find food and to signal or nest.
How do you pronounce “woodpecker”?
“Woodpecker” is pronounced WUUD-peh-kuh (/ˈwʊdˌpɛkɚ/ in IPA).
How do you use “woodpecker” in a sentence?
Here is “woodpecker” used in a sentence: “We could hear a woodpecker drumming on a hollow tree in the distance.”
What is another word for “woodpecker”?
Words with a similar meaning to “woodpecker” include speight and spight.
What part of speech is “woodpecker”?
“Woodpecker” is a noun.
