rusty blackbird

Save This Word!

noun

a North American blackbird, Euphagus carolinus, the male of which has plumage that is uniformly bluish-black in the spring and rusty-edged in the fall.

QUIZ

ARE YOU A TRUE BLUE CHAMPION OF THESE "BLUE" SYNONYMS?

We could talk until we're blue in the face about this quiz on words for the color "blue," but we think you should take the quiz and find out if you're a whiz at these colorful terms.

Question 1 of 8

Which of the following words describes “sky blue”?

navy

beryl

azure

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Meet Grammar Coach

Write or paste your essay, email, or story into Grammar Coach and get grammar help

Improve Your Writing

Meet Grammar CoachImprove Your Writing

Also called rusty grackle.

Origin of rusty blackbird

An Americanism dating back to 1850–55

Words nearby rusty blackbird

rustout, rustproof, rustproofing, rust-through, rusty, rusty blackbird, rusty sputum, rut, rutabaga, rutaceous, ruth

How to use rusty blackbird in a sentence

But, still, week after week, Addison lived in a Dili hostel waiting for the rusty wheels of Timorese justice to set her free.
Let’s Free Stacey Addison, The Oregon Woman Jailed at the Ends of the Earth|Christopher Dickey|October 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Across the world, a rusty World War II fort floats off the English coast.
Discovering Underground Labyrinths, Remote Cities, and More of the World’s Lost Places|Nina Strochlic|July 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Rusty and squeaky, in need of maintenance and oil, the tank had not lost its destructive skills.
Ukraine Wants to Seal Its Russian Border|Anna Nemtsova|July 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But having taken six years away from the campaign trail, her political skills are naturally a bit rusty.
What Hillary Clinton Can Learn From Portugal, Costa Rica, and England in the World Cup|Nathan Daschle|July 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Of course, this causes the nail clippers to oxidize and the water turns rusty, but it boils.
Tales of a Jailhouse Gourmet: How I learned to Cook in Prison|Daniel Genis|June 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
When pneumonia occurs during the course of a chronic bronchitis, the characteristic rusty red sputum may not appear.
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis|James Campbell Todd
Mr. Blackbird said that Grandfather Mole didn't leave enough anglep.
The Tale of Grandfather Mole|Arthur Scott Bailey
After pondering over Mr. Blackbird's speech for a few moments he raised his head.
The Tale of Grandfather Mole|Arthur Scott Bailey
And after thanking Mr. Blackbird for his advice, he turned away and burrowed out of sight.
The Tale of Grandfather Mole|Arthur Scott Bailey
Then Mr. Blackbird selected a good many choice tidbits here and there, which he bolted with gusto.
The Tale of Grandfather Mole|Arthur Scott Bailey