frogmouth

American

[frog-mouth, frawg-] / ˈfrɒgˌmaʊθ, ˈfrɔg- /

noun

PLURAL

frogmouths

any Australian and Oriental bird of the family Podargidae, related to the goatsuckers, having a broad, flattened, froglike mouth.

frogmouth British

/ ˈfrɒɡˌmaʊθ /

noun

any nocturnal insectivorous bird of the genera Podargus and Batrachostomus , of SE Asia and Australia, similar to the nightjars: family Podargidae , order Caprimulgiformes

"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

Etymology

Origin of frogmouth

First recorded in 1850–55; frog ¹ + mouth

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The frogmouth has a knack for blending in with its surroundings because of its plumage coloration, camouflaging as it perches on tree branches.

From New York Times

But a recently published study that asked "what makes a great bird photo?" has officially deemed the frogmouth the most instagrammable of avians.

From BBC

The tawny frogmouth briefly held hopes of becoming the first nocturnal bird to win the poll, but came a distant second with 3,351 votes.

From The Guardian

As she looked out of a window behind her, she was shocked to discover a large snake coiled around a tawny frogmouth — a stocky bird that resembles an owl.

From Fox News

The menagerie at Cotswold Wildlife Park includes ring-tailed lemurs, camels, and tawny frogmouth owls.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023