bee-eater

American  

[bee-ee-ter] / ˈbiˌi tər /

noun

1. any of several colorful birds of the family Meropidae, of the Old World tropics, that feed on bees and other insects.

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bee-eater British  

noun

1. any insectivorous bird of the family Meropidae of tropical and subtropical regions of the Old World, having a long downward-curving bill and long pointed wings and tail: order Coraciiformes (kingfishers, etc)

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Etymology

Origin of bee-eater

First recorded in 1660–70

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

bee-eater

Three bee-eater birds are believed to have made a historic return to the UK.

From BBC ● Jun. 16, 2023

This year, bee-eater chicks hatched in a Norfolk quarry - they are usually found in the southern Mediterranean and northern Africa.

From BBC ● Nov. 11, 2022

The Zoo A snow leopard rescued from Pakistan is having trouble eating because of a broken tooth, while the bird department tries to restore a beehive for the bee-eater birds, in this new episode.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 31, 2017

Eyes closed and wings tucked, the colorful bee-eater seemed to be sleeping in his hands.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 11, 2015

Among the birds the most remarkable are the eagle, the bustard, the pelican, the stork, the pheasant, several kinds of partridges, the quail, the woodpecker, the bee-eater, the hoopoe, and the nightingale.

From The Seven Great Monarchies Of The Ancient Eastern World, Vol 3. (of 7): Media The History, Geography, And Antiquities Of Chaldaea, Assyria, Babylon, Media, Persia, Parthia, And Sassanian or New Persian Empire; With Maps and Illustrations. by Rawlinson, George