lapwing · noun — any of several medium-sized wading birds belonging to the subfamily Vanellinae, within family Charadriidae. It carries an Arena rating of 1700, earned across 109 head-to-head judged battles.
Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, lapwing ranks #75 of 17,149 for Best Fossil-Poetry Words, #219 of 17,147 for Most Ingenious Words, #363 of 17,142 for Most Vivid Words, #966 of 17,135 for Most Beautiful Words.
lapwing is pronounced /ˈlæpwɪŋ/.
Why “lapwing” is a great word
LAPWING — [Noun] A medium-sized wading bird of the subfamily Vanellinae, characterized by its distinctive crest and erratic, tumbling flight. From Middle English *lapwynge*, from Old English *hlēapewince* ("lapwing"), a compound of *hlēapan* ("to leap") and *wincian* ("to wink, waver"), describing its flight; the modern form is influenced by folk etymology associating it with *wing*. Unlike "plover," a broader term for smaller, often sedate shorebirds, or "peewit," the onomatopoeic name that captures only its plaintive cry, *lapwing* denotes the whole crested creature in its signature, fitful dance. It is the sudden flash of iridescent green and black above a spring meadow, the frantic, zigzagging sprint of its downy chicks through the grass, and the spectacle of a bird that throws itself upon the wind in a fit of theatrical despair—a testament to the wild grace inherent in appearing utterly unhinged.
❧ Essay by Lexicurio’s AI · definition, etymology & citations from published sources
Etymology
From Middle English lapwynge, lapwynke, lappewincke, lapwynche, lhapwynche, from Old English hlēapewince (“lapwing”), from Old English hlēapan (“to leap”) + wincian (“to wink, make a sign”), due to its manner of flight. Cognate with West Frisian ljip (“lapwing”). The modern form is influenced by folk etymology to resemble English wing.
noun
- Any of several medium-sized wading birds belonging to the subfamily Vanellinae, within family Charadriidae.e.g.“Plovers and lapwings are a large, virtually worldwide family that differs from sandpipers in, among other things, having a shorter, thicker, pigeonlike bill and more robust proportions.” — 1986, Steven L. Hilty, Bill Brown, A Guide to the Birds of Colombia, page 149:
- Any of several medium-sized wading birds belonging to the subfamily Vanellinae, within family Charadriidae.; The northern lapwing (Vanellus vanellus).
- A silly man.e.g.“This lapwing runs away with the shell on his head.” — c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggar
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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