buzzard

¹ American  

[buhz-erd] / ˈbʌz ərd /

noun

1. any of several broad-winged, soaring hawks of the genus Buteo and allied genera, especially B. buteo, of Europe.

2. any of several New World vultures of the family Cathartidae, especially the turkey vulture.

3. Slang. a contemptible or cantankerous person (often preceded byold ).

   That old buzzard has lived in the same shack for twenty years.

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adjective

1. Obsolete. senseless; stupid.

buzzard ² American  

[buhz-erd] / ˈbʌz ərd /

noun

British Dialect.

1. any of various nocturnal buzzing insects, as cockchafers.

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buzzard British  

/ ˈbʌzəd /

noun

1. any diurnal bird of prey of the genus Buteo , typically having broad wings and tail and a soaring flight: family Accipitridae (hawks, etc) Compare honey buzzard turkey buzzard

2. a mean or cantankerous person

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Other Word Forms

• buzzardlike adjective
• buzzardly adjective

Etymology

Origin of buzzard¹

1250–1300; Middle English busard < Old French, variant of buisard, equivalent to buis ( on ) buzzard (< Latin būteōn-, stem of būteō kind of hawk) + -ard -ard

Origin of buzzard²

First recorded in 1645–55; buzz + -ard

Explanation

A buzzard is a large, vulture-like bird. Buzzards are scavengers, feeding almost entirely on dead animals. In North America, buzzard is the common name for a turkey vulture. Buzzards coast through the air on wide wings, patrolling the ground below them for food using their keen sense of smell, seeking out the scent of decaying flesh. In Europe, a buzzard is an entirely different type of bird, one that's known as a hawk in the U.S. The word buzzard stems from the Old French buisart, "inferior hawk."

Example Sentences

The creature’s enormous stature, dark body, and light gray head made me wonder whether it was a buzzard after all.

From Slate • Mar. 30, 2026

As part of their learning experience, a bird of prey expert visited the school - bringing with him a Chilean blue buzzard eagle called Guido.

From BBC • Jun. 3, 2025

Native African species have declined severely, such as the Augur buzzard, at 78 percent; Beaudouin’s snake-eagle, at 83 percent; and Rüppell's vulture, at 97 percent.

From National Geographic • Jan. 4, 2024

Those who have not aligned themselves with Moore have received a sharp admonishment from the senator, who recently called those colleagues "buzzard cowards," The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

From Salon • Aug. 31, 2023

That buzzard didn’t have an ounce of gratitude in him.

From "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls