lyrebird

L1Y4R1E1B3I1R1D2

noun

Either of two large ground-dwelling Australian songbirds, of the genus Menura, notable for their extraordinary ability to mimic natural and artificial sounds from their environment.

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Meanings

nounlyrebird (plural lyrebirds)

plural lyrebirds

  1. Either of two large ground-dwelling Australian songbirds, of the genus Menura, notable for their extraordinary ability to mimic natural and artificial sounds from their environment.

    A lyrebird strolled past me on its large feet, among the granite boulders.

    1983, Helen Garner, Yellow Notebook: Diaries Volume I, Text Publishing, published 2022, page 66

Origin

From lyre + bird, so named because of the beautiful tail feathers of the male of one species, the superb lyrebird (Menura novaehollandiae), which can be erected to look like a lyre.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian птица-лира
  • птица-лира (ptica-lira)Australian songbirds of the genus Menura
Catalan ocell lira
  • ocell liraAustralian songbirds of the genus Menura
Chinese Mandarin 琴鳥 /琴鸟
  • 琴鳥 /琴鸟 (qínniǎo)Australian songbirds of the genus Menura
Finnish lyyralintu
  • lyyralintuAustralian songbirds of the genus Menura
German Leierschwanz
  • LeierschwanzAustralian songbirds of the genus Menura
Irish liréan
  • liréanAustralian songbirds of the genus Menura
Korean 금조
  • 금조 (geumjo)Australian songbirds of the genus Menura
Polish lirogon
  • lirogonAustralian songbirds of the genus Menura
Russian лирохво́ст
  • лирохво́ст (liroxvóst)Australian songbirds of the genus Menura
Spanish ave lira
  • ave liraAustralian songbirds of the genus Menura
Swedish lyrfåfel
  • lyrfåfelAustralian songbirds of the genus Menura
Tamil யாழ் பறவை
  • யாழ் பறவை (yāḻ paṟavai)Australian songbirds of the genus Menura
Cite this entry
APA

lyrebird. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lyrebird

MLA

“lyrebird.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lyrebird. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “lyrebird,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lyrebird.

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