seagull
Americannoun
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seagulls
plural
noun
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a popular name for gull 1
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a casual wharf labourer who is not a trade-union member
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of seagull
Explanation
A seagull is a common, noisy shorebird. If a bird swoops down and steals your French fries as you're walking along the boardwalk, it was probably a seagull. Although the large gray and white birds that follow lobster boats and congregate on beaches are officially called gulls, most people use the colloquial seagull. These sea birds have wide wingspans and webbed feet. They live in large groups and thrive alongside humans, scavenging trash and food waste in addition to eating fish and crustaceans. Described as "opportunistic feeders," seagulls are also highly adept at stealing the fish and chips right off your tray.
Vocabulary lists containing seagull
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
There are seagull puppets, a tandem bicycle, an oil stain in the shape of a rabbit, a meteorite.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026
Nora resides among an assortment of odd-duck tenants, feeding daily breakfast to a punctual seagull she names Father Conway and finding secular outlets for her abiding curiosity.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026
For 137 years it has welcomed locals, tourists and one very persistent seagull.
From BBC ● Feb. 28, 2026
A footballer acted on a wing and a prayer when he gave emergency CPR to a seagull after it was hit by a ball during a match in Istanbul this week -- reviving the bird.
From Barron's ● Feb. 24, 2026
Something started whining like a rusty hinge, and I looked up to spy another seagull circling the dinghy.
From "Flush" by Carl Hiaasen
“Tiny dog escapes marsh, survives aerial assault by an organized gang of seagulls, and is rescued by the Menlo Park Fire Department,” East Palo Alto police wrote.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 19, 2026
Other candidates have dressed up as furry animals or seagulls to draw attention to animal rights.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026
“Above the river, the seagulls kept on the wing as long as they could, hoping the turbulence would bring them a good find”—not unlike these characters, struggling to hang on through uncertain weather.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026
Strikes have led to rubbish piling up, with uncollected waste several feet high in some streets in the first few months, amid complaints of rats, foxes and seagulls tearing open plastic bags.
From BBC ● Dec. 1, 2025
I like to watch the seagulls wheel and cry.
From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy
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