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pileated

American  
[pahy-lee-ay-tid, pil-ee-] / ˈpaɪ liˌeɪ tɪd, ˈpɪl i- /

adjective

Ornithology.
  1. crested.


Etymology

Origin of pileated

First recorded in 1720–30; pileate + -ed 2


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Above the patter of rain cascading through the jungle canopy comes the haunting call of a pileated gibbon singing to fend off intruders in Cambodia's Cardamom Mountains.

From Barron's ● Jun. 25, 2026

As a small-scale songbird rehabilitator I am not equipped, for instance, to take on a pileated woodpecker, which can smash its way out of any enclosure not made of steel.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 7, 2025

Better birders than I have already debunked the “sightings” as likely being of pileated woodpeckers or red-headed woodpeckers.

From Slate ● May 27, 2023

Anderson says “hard excavators,” such as the pileated woodpecker and northern flicker, will begin the process by hollowing out holes searching for insects.

From Seattle Times ● May 26, 2022

Aside from being completely different species, there is a sig-nificant yet odd difference in the color of the Lazarus woodpecker and the pileated one, the latter having a distinctly darker bill.

From "Where Things Come Back" by John Corey Whaley

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