CURLEW

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does curlew mean? 

• CURLEW (noun)
  The noun CURLEW has 1 sense:

1. large migratory shorebirds of the sandpiper family; closely related to woodcocks but having a down-curved bill

  Familiarity information: CURLEW used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CURLEW (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Large migratory shorebirds of the sandpiper family; closely related to woodcocks but having a down-curved bill

Classified under:

Nouns denoting animals

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

limicoline bird; shore bird; shorebird (any of numerous wading birds that frequent mostly seashores and estuaries)

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

European curlew; Numenius arquata (common Eurasian curlew)

Eskimo curlew; Numenius borealis (New World curlew that breeds in northern North America)

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

genus Numenius; Numenius (curlews)

 Context examples 

Except these, the plover and the curlew are the only inhabitants until you come to the Chesterfield high road.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)