definitions

rifle bird

or ri·fle·bird

noun

any of several birds of paradise of Australia, having a long bill, dark plumage, and elaborate courtship displays.

Nearby words

riffle, riffler, riffola, riffraff, rifle, rifle bird, rifle green, rifle grenade, rifle pit, rifle range, riflebird

Origin of rifle bird

First recorded in 1825–35
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for riflebird

riflebird

/ (ˈraɪfəlˌbɜːd) /

noun

any of various birds of paradise of the genera Ptiloris and Craspedophora, such as C. magnifica (magnificent riflebird)

Word Origin for riflebird

from its call, compared to a whistling bullet
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