godwit

G2O1D2W4I1T1
US/ˈɡɑd.wɪt/UK/ˈɡɒd.wɪt/

noun

Any of four species of long-billed migratory wading birds in the genus Limosa, of the family Scolopacidae.

Similar
yarwhelpyarwip
OriginOld English *gōdwiht →
UncommonScrabble 11
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Meanings

noungodwit (plural godwits)

plural godwits

  1. Any of four species of long-billed migratory wading birds in the genus Limosa, of the family Scolopacidae.

    My foot-boy shall eat pheasants, calvered salmons, / Knots, godwits, lampreys: I myself will have / The beards of barbels, served instead of salads […]

    c. 1610, Ben Jonson, The Alchemist

    Synonyms: yarwhelp, yarwip

Synonyms & antonyms

nounAny of four species of long-billed migratory wading birds in the genus Limosa, of the family Scolopacidae.

Similar
yarwhelpyarwip

Origin

  1. Old English*gōdwiht
  2. Englishgodwit

Origin unknown. A surface analysis would suggest Old English *gōdwiht as the term's ultimate origin, corresponding to good + wight (“creature”), but the term is attested only since late Middle English. The Oxford English Dictionary considers the term to probably have originally been imitative of the bird's call.

More words from Old English

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Afrikaans griete
  • grieteLong-billed wading bird
Arabic بقويقة
  • بقويقة (biqwayiqa)Long-billed wading bird
Bulgarian крайбрежен бекас
  • крайбрежен бекас (krajbrežen bekas)Long-billed wading bird
Catalan tètol
  • tètolLong-billed wading bird
Czech břehouš
  • břehoušLong-billed wading bird
Danish kobbersneppe
  • kobbersneppeLong-billed wading bird
Dutch grutto
  • gruttoLong-billed wading bird
Esperanto limozo
  • limozoLong-billed wading bird
Estonian vigle
  • vigleLong-billed wading bird
Finnish kuiri
  • kuiriLong-billed wading bird
French barge
  • bargeLong-billed wading bird
German Schnepfe
  • SchnepfeLong-billed wading bird
Greek λιμόζη
  • λιμόζη (limózi)Long-billed wading bird
Hungarian goda
  • godaLong-billed wading bird
Icelandic jaðrakanar
  • jaðrakanarLong-billed wading bird
Italian pittima
  • pittimaLong-billed wading bird
Latvian puskuitalas
  • puskuitalasLong-billed wading bird
Māori kuaka
  • kuakaLong-billed wading bird
Polish rycyk
  • rycykLong-billed wading bird
Russian верете́нник
  • верете́нник (vereténnik)Long-billed wading bird
Spanish picopando
  • picopandoLong-billed wading bird
Swahili msese
  • mseseLong-billed wading bird
Tamil மூக்கன்
  • மூக்கன் (mūkkaṉ)Long-billed wading bird
Welsh rhostog
  • rhostogLong-billed wading bird
Cite this entry
APA

godwit. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/godwit

MLA

“godwit.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/godwit. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “godwit,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/godwit.

Source: godwit on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.