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 he spoke in the Oval Office on Monday, Vice President JD Vance hovered uncomfortably behind Trump’s left shoulder like a cartoon buzzard in waiting.

From Salon • Mar. 20, 2026

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

“It was starting to come back down, and there was like a buzzard caught in it,” Copas said.

From Washington Times • Jun. 26, 2023

His father moved the buzzard with his toe.

From "The Red Pony" by John Steinbeck