Advertisement

Advertisement

sheathbill

[ sheeth-bil ]

noun

  1. either of two white sea birds, Chionis alba or C. minor, of the colder parts of the Southern Hemisphere: so called from the horny sheath covering the base of the upper bill.

sheathbill

/ ˈʃiːθˌbɪl /

noun

  1. either of two pigeon-like shore birds, Chionis alba or C. minor, of antarctic and subantarctic regions, constituting the family Chionididae: order Charadriiformes. They have a white plumage and a horny sheath at the base of the bill
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of sheathbill1

First recorded in 1775–85; sheath + bill 2
Discover More

Example Sentences

Here I found two pairs of the sheathbill (Chionis alba) a bird whose place in the system has puzzled ornithologists.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

sheathsheathe

Browse

  • #
  • aa
  • bb
  • cc
  • dd
  • ee
  • ff
  • gg
  • hh
  • ii
  • jj
  • kk
  • ll
  • mm
  • nn
  • oo
  • pp
  • qq
  • rr
  • ss
  • tt
  • uu
  • vv
  • ww
  • xx
  • yy
  • zz