BUTCHERBIRD

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does butcherbird mean? 

• BUTCHERBIRD (noun)
  The noun BUTCHERBIRD has 2 senses:

1. shrikes that impale their prey on thorns

2. large carnivorous Australian bird with the shrike-like habit of impaling prey on thorns

  Familiarity information: BUTCHERBIRD used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• BUTCHERBIRD (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Shrikes that impale their prey on thorns

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Hypernyms ("butcherbird" is a kind of...):

shrike (any of numerous Old World birds having a strong hooked bill that feed on smaller animals)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "butcherbird"):

European shrike; Lanius excubitor (a common European butcherbird)

Lanius borealis; northern shrike (a butcherbird of northern North America)

Lanius ludovicianus excubitorides; white-rumped shrike (a butcherbird of western North America; grey with white underparts)

Holonyms ("butcherbird" is a member of...):

genus Lanius; Lanius (type genus of the Laniidae: typical shrikes)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Large carnivorous Australian bird with the shrike-like habit of impaling prey on thorns

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

Hypernyms ("butcherbird" is a kind of...):

Australian magpie (black-and-white oscine birds that resemble magpies)

Holonyms ("butcherbird" is a member of...):

Cracticus; genus Cracticus (type genus of the Cracticidae: Australian butcherbirds)