whimbrel

W4H4I1M3B3R1E1L1
/ˈʍɪmbɹɜl/

noun

A large migratory wading bird, Numenius phaeopus, of the family Scolopacidae, with a long downcurved bill.

UncommonScrabble 18
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Meanings

nounwhimbrel (plural whimbrels)

plural whimbrels

  1. A large migratory wading bird, Numenius phaeopus, of the family Scolopacidae, with a long downcurved bill.

    Aquatic birds of various kinds are very numerous, such as geese, darters (Flotus melanogaster), scissor-bills (Rhynchops nigra), adjutants (Leptoptilos argala), pelicans, cormorants, cranes (Grus antigone, in Burmese gyoja), whimbrels, plovers, and ibises.

    1876, "Burmah" in the Encyclopædia Britannica, 9th ed., Vol. IV, p. 552

Origin

Uncertain. Perhaps from whimper + -el, alluding to the sound of its cry.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Afrikaans kleinwulp
  • kleinwulpa large wading bird, Numenius phaeopus
Bulgarian малък свирец
  • малък свирец (malăk svirec)a large wading bird, Numenius phaeopus
Catalan polit, xarlot petit
  • polita large wading bird, Numenius phaeopus
  • xarlot petita large wading bird, Numenius phaeopus
Danish lille regnspove
  • lille regnspovea large wading bird, Numenius phaeopus
Dutch regenwulp
  • regenwulpa large wading bird, Numenius phaeopus
Finnish pikkukuovi
  • pikkukuovia large wading bird, Numenius phaeopus
French courlis corlieu
  • courlis corlieua large wading bird, Numenius phaeopus
German Regenbrachvogel
  • Regenbrachvogela large wading bird, Numenius phaeopus
Hungarian kis póling
  • kis pólinga large wading bird, Numenius phaeopus
Icelandic spói
  • spóia large wading bird, Numenius phaeopus
Irish crotach eanaigh, crotach samhraidh
  • crotach eanaigha large wading bird, Numenius phaeopus
  • crotach samhraidha large wading bird, Numenius phaeopus
Italian chiurlo piccolo, chiurletto
  • chiurlo piccoloa large wading bird, Numenius phaeopus
  • chiurlettoa large wading bird, Numenius phaeopus
  • chiurlotto mezzanoa large wading bird, Numenius phaeopus
Japanese 中杓鴫
  • 中杓鴫 (chuu-shakushigi)a large wading bird, Numenius phaeopus
Korean 중부리도요
  • 중부리도요 (jungburidoyo)a large wading bird, Numenius phaeopus
Norwegian småspove
  • småspovea large wading bird, Numenius phaeopus
Polish kulik
  • kulika large wading bird, Numenius phaeopus
Portuguese maçarico-galego
  • maçarico-galegoa large wading bird, Numenius phaeopus
Romanian culic mic
  • culic mica large wading bird, Numenius phaeopus
Russian сре́дний кроншне́п, кроншне́п
  • сре́дний кроншне́п (srédnij kronšnép)a large wading bird, Numenius phaeopus
  • кроншне́п (kronšnép)a large wading bird, Numenius phaeopus
Scottish Gaelic eun-bealltainne, guilbneach-beag
  • eun-bealltainnea large wading bird, Numenius phaeopus
  • guilbneach-beaga large wading bird, Numenius phaeopus
  • far-ghuilbneacha large wading bird, Numenius phaeopus
Spanish zarapito
  • zarapitoa large wading bird, Numenius phaeopus
Swahili membe sautisaba
  • membe sautisabaa large wading bird, Numenius phaeopus
Swedish småspov
  • småspova large wading bird, Numenius phaeopus
Turkish sürmeli kervan çulluğu
  • sürmeli kervan çulluğua large wading bird, Numenius phaeopus
Welsh coegylfinir
  • coegylfinira large wading bird, Numenius phaeopus
Cite this entry
APA

whimbrel. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/whimbrel

MLA

“whimbrel.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/whimbrel. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “whimbrel,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/whimbrel.

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