Dictionary.com
definitions
  • synonyms

corn crake

noun
  1. a short-billed Eurasian rail, Crex crex, frequenting grainfields.
Show More

Origin of corn crake

First recorded in 1545–55
Also called land rail.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for corncrake

Historical Examples of corncrake

  • Only the sharp cry of the corncrake broke the solemnity of the night.

    The Northern Iron

    George A. Birmingham

  • The water-rail, and corncrake or land-rail, are also allied to the Gallinules.

    Bible Animals;

    J. G. Wood

  • The hay harvest in July is a cause of much disturbance to the Corncrake.

  • Now he never goes across the sea at all, and do you see the corncrake?

  • I'm all alone here except for my swallow and cuckoo and corncrake.

British Dictionary definitions for corncrake

corncrake

noun
  1. a common Eurasian rail, Crex crex, of fields and meadows, with a buff speckled plumage and reddish wings
Show More
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