curlew
[ kur-loo ]
/ ˈkɜr lu /
noun
any of several shorebirds of the genus Numenius, having a long, slender, downcurved bill, as the common N. arquata, of Europe.
any of various similar birds.
Nearby words
curl, curl one's hair, curl up, curled paperwork, curler, curlew, curlew sandpiper, curley, curli, curlicue, curling
Origin of curlew
1300–50; Middle English < Anglo-French curleu, cognate with Middle French corleu; perhaps imitative
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for curlew
British Dictionary definitions for curlew
curlew
/ (ˈkɜːljuː) /
noun
any large shore bird of the genus Numenius, such as N. arquata of Europe and Asia: family Scolopacidae (sandpipers, etc), order Charadriiformes. They have a long downward-curving bill and occur in northern and arctic regionsCompare stone curlew
Word Origin for curlew
C14: from Old French corlieu, perhaps of imitative origin
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