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frogmouth

frogmouth

1 9.2
A night bird that eats insects with a wide flat beak like a frog's mouth
  • noun
  • Australian
: pájaro boca de rana
  • Several species of frogmouth are found in the forests of Southeast Asia.
  • the tawny frogmouth

Examples

  • The Tawny frogmouth is known for its unique appearance and wide, flat mouth.

  • A frogmouth hunts insects at night using its wide beak.

  • The frogmouth blends perfectly with tree bark during the day.

  • The frogmouth sat silently on the branch.

  • Did you see the frogmouth at the zoo?

  • At night, the frogmouth hunts insects by sitting quietly on a tree branch.

  • The distinctive call of the frogmouth can be heard echoing through the forests of Australia.

Synonyms

Podargus
vsfrogmouth
  • Specialized
9.9

A large night bird with a wide flat beak that lives in Australia and nearby islands

is broader, covering similar insect-eating night birds across Asia and Southeast Asia
Podargidae
vsfrogmouth
  • Specialized
9.9

Night birds with wide flat beaks and feathers that hide them on tree branches

is narrower, meaning one insect-eating night bird rather than the whole family

Surface Forms

frogmouth singular
frogmouths plural

Morphology

frogmouth = frog + mouth (transparent) = frog + mouth

A straightforward compound of 'frog' + 'mouth' where the bird is named for its broad, frog-like bill, so the meaning is directly inferred from the parts.

Etymology

Frogmouth comes from the simple English words frog and mouth, because the bird's wide, flat beak looks like a frog's mouth. So a frogmouth is a night bird that uses its 'frog-like' mouth to catch insects.