kingbird

[ king-burd ]

/ ˈkɪŋˌbɜrd /

noun

any of several American tyrant flycatchers of the genus Tyrannus, especially T. tyrannus (eastern kingbird), of North America, known for their pugnacious disposition toward predators.

Words nearby kingbird

king-of-arms, king-of-the-salmon, king-size, king-smith, king-whiting, kingbird, kingbolt, kingchow, kingcraft, kingcup, kingdom

Origin of kingbird

An Americanism dating back to 1770–80; king + bird

Also called bee martin.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for kingbird

As usual, the kingbird united the characters of brave defender and tender lover.
Little Brothers of the Air|Olive Thorne Miller
The way I took to find out was to notice the ways of every kingbird I could see.
The Children's Book of Birds|Olive Thorne Miller
The kingbird sits higher than the honey bee flies, and the drones are the ones that come near him.
The Children's Book of Birds|Olive Thorne Miller
The nest of the kingbird is usually placed in a low tree like the apple-tree.
The Children's Book of Birds|Olive Thorne Miller

It is because of his fearlessness that he is called Kingbird.
The Burgess Bird Book for Children|Thornton W. Burgess

British Dictionary definitions for kingbird

kingbird

/ (ˈkɪŋˌbɜːd) /

noun

any of several large American flycatchers of the genus Tyrannus, esp T. tyrannus (eastern kingbird or bee martin)

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