kingfisher

American  

[king-fish-er] / ˈkɪŋˌfɪʃ ər /

noun

• kingfishers
  plural

1. any of numerous fish- or insect-eating birds of the family Alcedinidae that have a large head and a long, stout bill and are usually crested and brilliantly colored.

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kingfisher British  

/ ˈkɪŋˌfɪʃə /

noun

1. any coraciiform bird of the family Alcedinidae, esp the Eurasian Alcedo atthis, which has a greenish-blue and orange plumage. Kingfishers have a large head, short tail, and long sharp bill and tend to live near open water and feed on fish

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• kingfishers
  plural

Etymology

Origin of kingfisher

1400–50; king + fisher; replacing king's fisher, late Middle English kinges fisher

Explanation

A kingfisher is a colorful bird that catches fish by diving dramatically into the water. The Australian kookaburra is the largest species of kingfisher. Among about 90 different kingfisher species, most have brilliant blue feathers and a very long, pointed bill. These bright birds are mainly found in tropical climates near rivers and other bodies of water, making fish and crustaceans the major part of their diet. Etymologists know the bird's original name was king's fisher (with the fisher part being self-explanatory), but the rest of the word's history is unknown.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

kingfisher kingfishers

The streamlined beak of the kingfisher, which enters the water almost without a splash, became the model for the nose of Japan’s bullet train.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026

"To get all the kingfisher DNA, we used specimens in the Field Museum's collections," says Eliason, who works in the Field's Grainger Bioinformatics Center and Negaunee Integrative Research Center.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 24, 2023

Perhaps the most striking is the pied kingfisher, commonly called a helldiver, with its black and white plumage, shaggy topknot and slender beak.

From New York Times ● Jun. 6, 2023

Chalk streams, which support iconic species such as the salmon, kingfisher and otter, are of particular concern, according to the Rivers Trust.

From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2022

A part of me returned, but much of me stayed with the river and the kingfisher and the heron and the memories of my times there with Raji.

From "Homeless Bird" by Gloria Whelan

The site has also attracted blue herons, kingfishers, otters, deer, bears, California condors and a resident herd of elk notorious for tearing up new seedlings.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026

The Environment Agency and Natural England said their monitoring shows the river's condition is improving, with trout, bullhead and minnows present, alongside kingfishers and sand martins.

From BBC ● May 26, 2026

Other birds in the area include pygmy owls, belted kingfishers and wild turkey.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 10, 2025

Volunteers who monitor the site have seen kingfishers for the first time.

From BBC ● May 28, 2024

I steam the fish and vegetables in violet leaves, and we eat by the river, admiring the kingfishers who dive into the water and come up with fish every time.

From "On the Far Side of the Mountain" by Jean Craighead George