whirlybird

[ hwur-lee-burd, wur- ]

noun

, Informal.

1. helicopter.

whirlybird

/ ˈwɜːlɪˌbɜːd /

noun

1. See helicopter
   an informal word for helicopter

Word History and Origins

Origin of whirlybird¹

First recorded in 1950–55; whirl + -y ¹ + bird

Example Sentences

The result is a whirlybird that’s quieter than usual, but also potentially safer.

From Popular-Science

The problem, seems to me, is how we're going to use it without the whirlybird.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• chopper