greater yellowlegs

noun

plural in form but singular or plural in construction
: a common North American bird (Tringa melanoleuca) of marsh and shore that is largely gray above and white below with black or dark gray flecks and yellow legs compare lesser yellowlegs

Examples of greater yellowlegs in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Without golf balls whizzing overhead, the land has become habitat for migratory shorebirds, among them black-necked stilts, greater yellowlegs and sandpipers, and has even drawn the secretive American bittern. — Cara Buckley, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2024 Four sandhill cranes off Central Street in Plainfield, a continuing blue grosbeak on Aqua Vitae Road in Hadley, 18 greater yellowlegs and two sanderlings in the East Meadows in Northampton, and three red crossbills at Quabbin Park at the Quabbin Reservoir in Belchertown. — BostonGlobe.com, 29 July 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1889, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of greater yellowlegs was in 1889

Rhymes for greater yellowlegs

See All Rhymes for greater yellowlegs

Browse Nearby Words

greater wax moth
greater yellowlegs
greatest common divisor
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Greater yellowlegs.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/greater%20yellowlegs. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on greater yellowlegs

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about greater yellowlegs

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Words You Always Have to Look Up

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Top 10 Sophisticated Insults

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

More Words with Remarkable Origins

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Top 10 Sophisticated Insults

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
burrowing owl athene cunicularia tilts its head outside its burrow on marco island florida
Guess the Curious Origins of These Everyday Words Oh, that’s where that comes from…
See All