Jump To:

• honey eater
  honey eater

  noun

  any of numerous oscine birds of the family Meliphagidae, chiefly of Australasia, having a bill and tongue adapted for extracting the nectar from flowers.
• honey-eater
  honey-eater

  noun

  any small arboreal songbird of the Australasian family Meliphagidae, having a downward-curving bill and a brushlike tongue specialized for extracting nectar from flowers

honey eater

American  

Or honeyeater

noun

1. any of numerous oscine birds of the family Meliphagidae, chiefly of Australasia, having a bill and tongue adapted for extracting the nectar from flowers.

---

honey-eater British  

/ ˈhʌnɪˌiːtə /

noun

1. any small arboreal songbird of the Australasian family Meliphagidae, having a downward-curving bill and a brushlike tongue specialized for extracting nectar from flowers

---

Etymology

Origin of honey eater

First recorded in 1725–35

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

honey eater honey-eater

It is also a honey eater; and roams about in quest of the hives of the indigenous bees.

From Quadrupeds, What They Are and Where Found A Book of Zoology for Boys by Harvey, William

Then Louhi sent Otso the Bear, the honey-eater, but he was slain by the hero, who made a banquet of his flesh for the people.

From National Epics by Rabb, Kate Milner

Birds ordinarily mute are vociferous, and the rowdy ones—the varied honey-eater as an example—losing all control of their tongues, call and whistle in ecstasy.

From Confessions of a Beachcomber by Banfield, E. J. (Edmund James)

"Wung-go-bah" describes the noisy pitta; "Wee-loo" the stone plover; "Coo-roo" the tranquil dove; "Piln-piln" the large-billed shore plover; "Kim-bum-broo" the fasciated honey-eater; "Calloo-calloo" the manucode; "Go-bidger-roo" the varied honey-eater, and so on.

From Confessions of a Beachcomber by Banfield, E. J. (Edmund James)

The white-plumed honey-eater is common in Victoria, where it appears to be one of the few native birds that is not driven back by civilisation.

From Austral English A dictionary of Australasian words, phrases and usages with those aboriginal-Australian and Maori words which have become incorporated in the language, and the commoner scientific words that have had their origin in Australasia by Morris, Edward Ellis