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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.


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)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of bee-eater

First recorded in 1660–70

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.

There could also be some sightings of rare visitors such as the exotic European bee-eater, which have recently begun nesting in the UK.

From BBC

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

From BBC

Hatched bee-eater chicks 'indicate climate change'

From BBC

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

From BBC

Another posted on Twitter that she had never seen more than one bee-eater in the UK before.

From BBC