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Webster 1913 Edition


Snowbird

Snow′bird

,
Noun.
(Zool.)
(a)
An arctic finch (
Plectrophenax nivalis
syn.
Plectrophanes nivalis
) common, in winter, both in
Europe
and the
United States
, and often appearing in large flocks during snowstorms. It is partially white, but variously marked with chestnut and brown. Called also
snow bunting
,
snowflake
,
snowfleck
, and
snowflight
.
(b)
Any finch of the genus
Junco
which appears in flocks in winter time, especially
Junco hyemalis
in the Eastern United States; – called also
blue snowbird
. See
Junco
.
(c)
The fieldfare.
[Prov. Eng.]

Definition 2024


snowbird

snowbird

See also: snow-bird and snow bird

English

Noun

snowbird (plural snowbirds)

  1. A bird, Junco hyemalis, the dark-eyed junco.
  2. A bird seen primarily in the winter time.
  3. The snow bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis).
  4. A person, usually one who is retired, who travels from a cold climate to a warmer one in the winter.
  5. (slang) A cocaine user.

Derived terms

See also