Meanings
nounshadbird (plural shadbirds)
plural shadbirds
- UKdateddialectalThe American snipe; Wilson's snipe (Gallinago delicata).
- UKdateddialectalThe common snipe or European sandpiper (Gallinago gallinago).
Origin
From shad + bird, since it appears at the same time as the shad (a fish).
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
shadbird. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shadbird
MLA
“shadbird.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shadbird. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “shadbird,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/shadbird.
Source: shadbird on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.