blackbird
noun
black·bird
| \ ˈblak-ˌbərd
\
\
Definition of blackbird
(Entry 1 of 2)
1
: any of various birds of which the males are largely or entirely black: such as
a
: a common thrush (Turdus merula) of Eurasia and northern Africa having an orange bill and eye rim
b
: any of several American oscine birds (family Icteridae)
2
: a Pacific islander kidnapped for use as a plantation laborer
blackbird
verb
blackbirded;
blackbirding;
blackbirds
Definition of blackbird (Entry 2 of 2)
: to engage in the slave trade especially in the South Pacific
Examples of blackbird in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring says the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services program loans nonlethal management equipment to farmers to help disperse blackbirds that attack sunflower and grain crops. — USA TODAY, "Record grapefruit, light rail win, Snake Road: News from around our 50 states," 29 Aug. 2019 From this vantage point, the sharp-talon Harris’s hawk kept an eye out for pesky seagulls, blackbirds and pigeons that make a mess on the roofs and steal food from guests lounging by the pool. — Hugo Martin, Los Angeles Times, "Calling in the ‘bird mafia’ to intimidate pesky pigeons and seagulls," 18 Aug. 2019 September wakes now to a blue like no other, a glazed transparency, the sunlight downright urgent on the backs of blackbirds. — Jessica Hornik, National Review, "August," 25 July 2019 Another blackbird attacked customers outside a Chick-Fil-A in Littleton within the last few years to protect its nest, according to Brummert. — Fox News, "'Dive-bombing' bird attacks Colorado joggers, disturbing video shows," 11 July 2019 Some species, such as blackbirds, cardinals, eagles and ospreys, are thriving. — Anders Gyllenhaal, sun-sentinel.com, "For one rare bird, flight from South Florida’s changing climate sparks a surprising revival," 29 June 2019 Swallows, gulls and terns, crows, blackbirds and orioles, tyrant flycatchers and parids—all practice mobbing. — Lance Morrow, WSJ, "Political Harassment Is for the Birds," 6 July 2018 The scientists also reversed the scenario, dropping host eggs from wrens, mockingbirds, and blackbirds onto cowbird eggs. — Erica Tennenhouse, Science | AAAS, "Cowbird eggshells could double as deadly weapons," 8 May 2018 Scary blackbirds make for perfect Halloween yard art. — Kc Morgan, Popular Mechanics, "3 DIY Halloween Decorations to Make With Recycled Materials," 18 Oct. 2017These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'blackbird.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
More Definitions for blackbird
blackbird
noun
English Language Learners Definition of blackbird
: any one of several American birds with males that are mostly black
: a common European bird with males that have black feathers and an orange bill
See the full definition for blackbird in the English Language Learners Dictionary
blackbird
noun
black·bird
| \ ˈblak-ˌbərd
\
\
Kids Definition of blackbird
: any of several birds of which the males are mostly black
Keep scrolling for more