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lammergeier

or lam·mer·gey·er, lam·mer·geir

[lam-er-gahy-er, -gahyuh r]
noun
  1. the largest Eurasian bird of prey, Gypaëtus barbatus, ranging in the mountains from southern Europe to China, having a wingspread of 9 to 10 feet (2.7 to 3 meters) and black feathers hanging from below the bill like a mustache.
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Origin of lammergeier

1810–20; < German Lämmergeier literally, lambs' vulture (from its preying on lambs), equivalent to Lämmer, plural of Lamm lamb + Geier vulture (cognate with Dutch gier)
Also called bearded vulture.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for lammergeier

Historical Examples

  • A black speck appeared high in the sky; grew fast—the lammergeier.

    The Metal Monster

    A. Merritt

  • A lammergeier swooped down on wide funereal wings; it peered at us; darted away toward the cliffs.

  • The plumage of the lammergeier is grayish brown above and nearly white below.

  • The lammergeier (Gypatus barbatus) had almost become extinct in 1900; but several varieties of eagle and falcon are left.

British Dictionary definitions for lammergeier

lammergeier

lammergeyer

noun
  1. a rare vulture, Gypaetus barbatus, of S Europe, Africa, and Asia, with dark wings, a pale breast, and black feathers around the bill: family Accipitridae (hawks)Also called: bearded vulture (archaic): ossifrage
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Word Origin

C19: from German Lämmergeier, from Lämmer lambs + Geier vulture
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