catbird
Definition
- Noun:
- A North American songbird (Dumetella carolinensis) whose call resembles the mewing of a cat.
- Any of various birds of the Australian region (family Ptilonorhynchidae) whose males build and decorate elaborate structures (called bowers) to attract females.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- We heard the distinctive call of a catbird from the thicket.
- The gray catbird is a common summer visitor to this area.
- The male satin bowerbird, a type of catbird, collects blue objects to decorate its bower.
Advanced Usage
- "To be in the catbird seat": (Idiom) To be in a position of advantage, power, or control. This idiom is famously associated with American sportscaster Red Barber and later used by author James Thurber.
- With their main competitor failing, our company is now in the catbird seat.
Variants and Related Words
- Gray catbird (): The specific species of North American catbird.
- Bowerbird: A more common general name for the Australian catbirds known for their bower-building behavior.
- Bower: The elaborate, decorated structure built by male bowerbirds (Australian catbirds) to attract mates.
Synonyms
- (For the North American bird) Gray catbird, .
- (For the Australian birds) Bowerbird.
Related Idioms
- In the catbird seat: As described in Advanced Usage, this is the primary idiom associated with the word.
Noun
-
North American songbird whose call resembles a cat's mewing
-
any of various birds of the Australian region whose males build ornamented structures resembling bowers in order to attract females
Khám phá thêm
Các từ liên quan
Từ đồng nghĩa
Từ chứa "catbird"
