bird's-eye

American  

[burdz-ahy] / ˈbɜrdzˌaɪ /

adjective

1. seen from above, as by a bird in flight; panoramic.

   a bird's-eye view of the city.

2. omitting many details; broad; superficial; general.

   a bird's-eye view of ancient history.

3. having spots or markings resembling the eyes of a bird.

   bird's-eye tweed.

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noun

plural

bird's-eyes

1. any of various plants having small, round, bright-colored flowers, as a primrose, Primula farinosa, or a speedwell, Veronica chamaedrys.

2. Textiles.

   1. a woven, allover pattern on fabrics, characterized chiefly by small diamond shapes resembling the eyes of a bird.

   2. a fabric having this pattern, especially a cotton used for diapers or a linen used for toweling.

bird's-eye British  

adjective

1. 1. seen or photographed from high above

   2. summarizing the main points of a topic; summary (esp in the phrase bird's-eye view )

2. having markings resembling birds' eyes

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noun

1. a Eurasian primrose, Primula farinosa , having clusters of purplish flowers with yellow centres

2. the usual US name for germander speedwell

3. any of several other plants having flowers of two contrasting colours

4. a pattern in linen and cotton fabrics, made up of small diamond shapes with a dot in the centre of each

5. a linen or cotton fabric with such a pattern

Etymology

Origin of bird's-eye

First recorded in 1590–1600; bird + 's ¹ + eye

Example Sentences

Those sitting in the second tier and gallery had a breathtaking bird's-eye view of the action as Jonas hit the canvas in the ninth after a slip.

From BBC

A foreign correspondent for London’s Daily Express, Davis enjoyed a bird's-eye view of their inaugural North American tour in 1964.

From Salon

Captured birds were placed briefly in a tent containing sand-filled trays and a recording camera with a bird's-eye view of the entire tent.

From Science Daily

Think of it like a bird's-eye view of all the images as the neural network has organized them.

From Science Daily

This study is among the first to take a bird's-eye view of the issue by analyzing that link across dozens of countries.

From Salon

Related Words

• across-the-board
• all-encompassing
• broad
• comprehensive
• exhaustive
• extensive
• radical
• thorough
• wholesale