nighthawk
noun
night·hawk
| \ ˈnīt-ˌhȯk
\
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Definition of nighthawk
1a
: any of a genus (Chordeiles and especially C. minor) of North American nightjars related to the whip-poor-will
b
: a common European nightjar (Caprimulgus europaeus)
2
: a person who habitually is active late at night
Illustration of nighthawk
nighthawk 1a
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Examples of nighthawk in a Sentence
an all-night diner that is patronized by nighthawks from every segment of society
Recent Examples on the Web
As a nighthawk, Buckley was the black-robed enforcer of the Klan’s code. — Washington Post, "In the Army and the Klan, he hated Muslims.," 5 June 2018 The onetime imperial nighthawk of the Georgia White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan left the hate group in late 2016. — Washington Post, "In the Army and the Klan, he hated Muslims.," 5 June 2018 Heaven’s Door is meant to conjure a broader idea of Dylan that is part Renaissance man, part nighthawk. — Ben Sisario, BostonGlobe.com, "Knockin’ back Heaven’s Door: Bob Dylan is making whiskey now," 2 May 2018 But while new to Western science, the behaviors of the nighthawks have long been known to the Alawa, MalakMalak, Jawoyn and other Indigenous peoples of northern Australia whose ancestors occupied their lands for tens of thousands of years. — George Nicholas, Smithsonian, "When Scientists “Discover” What Indigenous People Have Always Known," 22 Feb. 2018 An animal control officer identified the injured bird as a nighthawk. — Washington Post, "Loudoun County Animal Watch," 20 Sep. 2017 Even a clutch of common nighthawk eggs, camouflaged in the sand, catches your eye. — The New York Times, NOLA.com, "Walter Anderson's Horn Island off Mississippi remains a 'natural reality'," 4 July 2017 Another species that is on the move now is the common nighthawk. — Taylor Piephoff, charlotteobserver, "Migrating birds begin to show up in late August," 23 Aug. 2017 Even a clutch of common nighthawk eggs, camouflaged in the sand, catches your eye. — The New York Times, NOLA.com, "Walter Anderson's Horn Island off Mississippi remains a 'natural reality'," 4 July 2017These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'nighthawk.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for nighthawk
nighthawk
noun
night·hawk
| \ ˈnīt-ˌhȯk
\
\
Kids Definition of nighthawk
: a bird that is active at twilight and feeds on insects caught in flight