woodpecker

noun

wood·​peck·​er ˈwu̇d-ˌpe-kər 

: any of numerous birds (family Picidae) with zygodactyl feet, stiff spiny tail feathers used in climbing or resting on tree trunks, a usually extensible tongue, a very hard bill used to drill the bark or wood of trees for insect food or to excavate nesting cavities, and generally showy parti-colored plumage

Illustration of woodpecker

Examples of woodpecker in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Peanuts—shelled or unshelled—are a favorite treat of bluejays, woodpeckers, chickadees, and several other species. —Rita Pelczar, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Dec. 2024

Fitting that this show should wrap in northeast Florida, where live oak trees, pine, Sabal palm, saw palmetto, alligators, woodpeckers, and manatee connect the exhibition’s debut site in the North Carolina piedmont with its second stop, Miami, gateway to the Caribbean. —Chadd Scott, Forbes, 2 Dec. 2024

While a few species, such as American crows, blue jays, and most woodpeckers will peck through a light skim of ice, other birds may not be able to do so. —Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 28 Nov. 2024

Companies perfected the art of evasion, leaving us jabbing the zero key like a deranged woodpecker just to talk to someone with a pulse. —Craig S. Smith, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1530, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing woodpecker

• acorn woodpecker
• downy woodpecker
• hairy woodpecker
• ivory-billed woodpecker
• pileated woodpecker
• red-bellied woodpecker
• red-cockaded woodpecker

Kids Definition

woodpecker

noun

wood·​peck·​er -ˌpek-ər 

: any of numerous brightly marked birds with strong claws and stiff tail feathers used in climbing or resting on tree trunks, a long flexible tongue, and a very hard bill used to drill into trees to get insects for food and to dig out holes for nesting