birdie

American  

[bur-dee] / ˈbɜr di /

noun

1. a small bird.

2. Golf. a score of one stroke under par on a hole.

3. a shuttlecock.

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verb (used with object)

birdied, birdieing

1. Golf. to make a birdie on (a hole).

birdie British  

/ ˈbɜːdɪ /

noun

1. golf a score of one stroke under par for a hole

2. informal a bird, esp a small bird

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verb

1. (tr) golf to play (a hole) in one stroke under par

Etymology

Origin of birdie

First recorded in 1785–95; bird + -ie

Example Sentences

The actor plays Birdie Jay, a vapid model-turned-fashion-designer, in the “Knives Out” sequel.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 26, 2025

Running for seven minutes, it's a touching and intimate portrait of the beloved actor, whose other credits include Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Bye Bye Birdie and the TV show Diagnosis: Murder.

From BBC • Dec. 6, 2024

Cynthia Nixon hadn’t been onstage since 2017, when she and Laura Linney alternated the roles of Regina and Birdie in “The Little Foxes.”

From New York Times • Mar. 23, 2024

The designs included three classic Crocs and one Crocs sandal featuring McDonald’s mascots Grimace, Hamburglar and Birdie, along with the chain’s classic red and yellow color scheme, according to CNBC.

From Salon • Dec. 11, 2023

“But for us it always felt like it was a way of declaring that Babs and Birdie were like family, even though we weren’t related by blood.”

From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy