pileated woodpecker

noun

: a large red-crested North American woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) that is black with white on the face, neck, and undersides of the wings

Examples of pileated woodpecker in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
An American golden-plover in Winthrop, a pileated woodpecker at the Stony Brook Reservation, a Wilson’s warbler at McLaughlin Woods in the Mission Hill area, and a vesper sparrow at Millennium Park in West Roxbury. Isabela Rocha, BostonGlobe.com, 12 Nov. 2022 The page should have shown an American robin and pileated woodpecker. oregonlive, 16 Mar. 2021 There are 23 species native to the United States—from the tiny downy woodpecker that is only a few inches in length, to the giant pileated woodpecker that’s nearly the size of a crow. Outdoor Life, 26 Feb. 2021

Word History

First Known Use

1782, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pileated woodpecker was in 1782

Dictionary Entries Near pileated woodpecker

Cite this Entry

“Pileated woodpecker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pileated%20woodpecker. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

pileated woodpecker

noun
pi·​le·​at·​ed woodpecker
ˌpī-lē-ˌāt-əd-,
ˌpil-ē-
: a North American woodpecker that is black with a red crest and white on the wings and sides of the neck

More from Merriam-Webster on pileated woodpecker

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!