ivory-billed woodpecker

noun

ivo·​ry-billed woodpecker ˈī-v(ə-)rē-ˈbild- How to pronounce ivory-billed woodpecker (audio)
: a very large black-and-white woodpecker (Campephilus principalis) of the southeastern U.S. and Cuba that has a showy red crest in the male and is presumed extinct in the U.S.

Illustration of ivory-billed woodpecker

Illustration of <span class=syl>ivo</span><span class=syl>ry<span class=sylbreak>-</span>billed woodpecker</span>
  • ivory-billed woodpecker

Word History

First Known Use

1811, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ivory-billed woodpecker was in 1811

Dictionary Entries Near ivory-billed woodpecker

ivorybill

ivory-billed woodpecker

ivory black

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Ivory-billed woodpecker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ivory-billed%20woodpecker. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

Copy Citation

Share

Kids Definition

ivory-billed woodpecker

noun
ivo·​ry-billed woodpecker
ˌīv-(ə-)rē-ˌbild-
: a large black-and-white woodpecker of the southeastern U.S. that has a large whitish bill and in the male a pointed bunch of red feathers on the head and that is thought to be extinct

More from Merriam-Webster on ivory-billed woodpecker

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about ivory-billed woodpecker

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 All

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

Plural and Possessive Names: A Guide

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

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

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See All

Popular in Wordplay

See All

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)

9 Superb Owl Words

15 Words That Used to Mean Something Different
See All

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
little chihuahua dressing like a turkey for thanksgiving
Is That Gratitude or Attitude? A Thanksgiving Quiz Decide which words express gratitude and which gi...