rhizoverbBeta
DictionarywoodcockWoodland bird
noun

woodcock

WOOD-kahk/ˈwʊdkɑːk/

A stocky woodland game bird with a long bill.

The woodcock stands on leaf litter with its long bill visible.

A natural woodcock with long straight bill and mottled brown plumage on leaf litter.
Etymology
woodOld Englishwood, forest
+cockOld Englishmale bird

The pieces name a bird of the woods, highlighting its habitat. The name was later also applied to a similar, smaller North American bird.

In context

ORCA Media37:21
she sat back and started to count the birds using her little tenth of an acre she's up to 124 bird species including a woodcock
North Branch Nature Center - Biodiversity Jamboree: Nature's Best Hope

More examples

  • The woodcock's brown feathers blend in with fallen leaves.
  • We watch woodcocks fly over the clearing at dusk.
  • Hunters search the young woods for woodcock.

Forms

woodcock · woodcocks