noun
magpie
MAG-pye/ˈmæɡpaɪ/
A long-tailed crow relative associated with collecting and chattering.
A magpie chatters from a branch, its long tail bobbing.
Etymology
The old bird name was expanded with Mag, a nickname for Margaret associated with idle chatter. This makes the compound a comment on the magpie's famously noisy calls.
In context
and away it flew and so that's how Threshers build their nests then the magpie took some twigs and arranged them round in the mud
More examples
- Two black-and-white magpies land on the fence.
- She's a magpie who saves every ticket stub and postcard.
- When the cousins get together, they chatter like magpies.
Forms
magpie · magpies