common nutcracker

8.9

A large dark brown bird like a crow that eats seeds from pine cones

noun

: nuez de pino

The common nutcracker is often seen cracking open pine cones to feed on the seeds.

Examples

The common nutcracker is often found in coniferous forests.
Unlike other members of the crow family, the common nutcracker has a distinctive spotted plumage.
We spotted a common nutcracker during our hike in the alpine forest.
I saw a common nutcracker while hiking in the Alps.
The common nutcracker uses its strong beak to crack open the tough shells of pine seeds.
During the winter, the common nutcracker is often spotted foraging in trees for pine nuts.
We heard the distinctive call of the common nutcracker echoing through the coniferous forest.

Synonyms

nutcracker

vscommon nutcracker

1 6.9

A bird like a crow that eats and stores nuts for winter

focuses on feeding mainly on pine seeds rather than insects

Nucifraga caryocatactes

vscommon nutcracker

Specialized

9.9

A bird like a small crow that cracks and stores nuts

is noted for feeding on pine seeds rather than cracking nuts

Nucifraga

vscommon nutcracker

Specialized

9.9

A bird in the crow family that cracks open and stores nuts

is a single Eurasian species rather than a widely distributed genus

Surface Forms

common nutcracker singular

common nutcrackers plural

Morphology

common + nutcracker

This is a straightforward adjective + noun combination: 'common' (typical/frequently occurring) modifying 'nutcracker' (the bird), so the meaning 'the typical or widespread nutcracker species' is directly derivable from the parts. Such compositional noun phrases are cross-linguistically regular and follow standard English modification patterns, so a B1 learner who knows both words would understand it.

Etymology

Common nutcracker gets its name from what the animal does: it uses a strong beak to crack open pine cones and reach the seeds, like a living nut cracker. So the name tells you it is a 'bird' that cracks nuts and eats seeds.