noun
beak
BEEK/biːk/
A bird's hard projecting mouthpart.
The sparrow's hard beak narrows to a point beyond its feathers.
Etymology
Old French bec meant a bird’s bill and also the projecting tip of things such as a lance or ship. The English sense preserves its literal bird meaning.
In context
most birds rely on a beak shape that's long sturdy and pointed sort of like a spear which allows them to catch and hold on to slippery fish underwater
More examples
- The parrot cracks a seed with its powerful beak.
- The cartoon gives the character an enormous hooked beak of a nose.
- Several birds tap their beaks against the feeder.
Forms
beak · beaks