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Glite Dictionary
great snipe

great snipe

8.6
A large dark bird that lives in wet fields and tall grass
  • noun
  • UK
translation icon : aguja grande
  • Birdwatchers travel to Eastern Europe each year to observe the spectacular mating display of the great snipe.

Examples

  • Unlike the common snipe, the great snipe is bulkier and has a bolder pattern on its feathers.

  • The great snipe prefers marshy meadows and grassy wetlands as its habitat.

  • The great snipe is known for its distinctive plumage.

  • Have you ever seen a great snipe in the wild?

  • Birdwatchers travel to Eastern Europe each year to observe the spectacular mating display of the great snipe.

  • The great snipe prefers marshy meadows and grassy wetlands as its habitat.

  • Unlike the common snipe, the great snipe is bulkier and has a bolder pattern on its feathers.

Synonyms

snipe
vsgreat snipe
4 8.3

A bird with a long straight bill that lives in wet places like marshes

denotes that specific larger, darker species rather than the whole group
Gallinago media
vsgreat snipe
  • Specialized
9.9

A large, dark snipe that lives in wet meadows in Europe

is the common English name rather than the scientific form

Surface Forms

great snipe singular
great snipes plural

Morphology

great + snipe

The meaning 'a large ... snipe' is directly derivable from combining 'great' (very large) with 'snipe' (a long-billed wader). This adjective+noun naming pattern is regular in English and cross-linguistically common for species names, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words will readily understand it.

Etymology

The name great snipe comes from a simple description: snipe is a marsh bird and great means 'large'. So the name tells you it is the bigger, darker snipe found in parts of Europe and Asia.