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oxpecker

[ oks-pek-er ]
/ ˈɒksˌpɛk ər /

noun

either of two African starlings of the genus Buphagus, characterized by their habit of riding on large, wild animals and domestic cattle to feed on ticks.

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Origin of oxpecker

First recorded in 1840–50; ox + pecker

Words nearby oxpecker

Oxon, Oxon Hill, Oxonian, oxonium compound, oxo process, oxpecker, oxtail, oxter, oxtongue, ox-tongue partisan, Oxus
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for oxpecker

British Dictionary definitions for oxpecker

oxpecker
/ (ˈɒksˌpɛkə) /

noun

either of two African starlings, Buphagus africanus or B. erythrorhynchus, having flattened bills with which they obtain food from the hides of cattleAlso called: tick-bird
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