lesser yellowlegs
- noun
- /ˈlɛsər ˈjɛloʊˌlɛɡz/
- US
:
playero menor
- While hiking along the coast, we observed a lesser yellowlegs wading through the shallow waters.
Examples
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We spotted a lesser yellowlegs feeding along the muddy shoreline.
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The lesser yellowlegs can be distinguished from its larger relative by its slightly shorter bill and body size.
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During migration, flocks of lesser yellowlegs rest in wetlands across the Midwest.
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Look at that lesser yellowlegs running along the shore!
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I spotted a lesser yellowlegs at the pond yesterday.
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The lesser yellowlegs is known for its distinctive yellow legs and is often seen during migration.
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On our birdwatching trip, we were delighted to see a lesser yellowlegs actively feeding on small invertebrates.
Synonyms
A small North American bird with long yellow legs that lives by water
A bird that lives by the water with long bright yellow legs and spotted feathers
Surface Forms
Morphology
lesser + yellowlegs
The phrase is compositionally built: 'lesser' = smaller and 'yellowlegs' denotes a yellow‑legged bird, so the overall meaning 'a smaller yellow‑legged shorebird' is directly derivable from the parts. Even if 'yellowlegs' is a lexicalized compound, its internal components (yellow + legs) are transparent, so a B1 learner who knows those words can infer the referent.
Etymology
Lesser yellowlegs comes from the bird's look: yellowlegs points to its long yellow legs, and lesser means 'smaller' than the similar 'greater yellowlegs'. That's why the name helps people tell this smaller bird from its larger relative.
