tropic bird

noun

: any of a genus (Phaethon of the family Phaethontidae) of web-footed birds that are related to the pelicans, are found chiefly in tropical seas often far from land, and have mostly white satiny plumage marked with a little black, a greatly elongated central pair of tail feathers, and a brightly colored bill

Illustration of tropic bird

Illustration of tropic bird

Examples of tropic bird in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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This is true for zebra finches, waved albatrosses, tropic birds and juncos, too. Washington Post, 12 Nov. 2019 The whistles of tropic birds speak of things to come. Ernest Slyman, New York Times, 21 June 2018

Word History

First Known Use

1624, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tropic bird was in 1624

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Cite this Entry

“Tropic bird.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tropic%20bird. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

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