Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
moor-bird

moor-bird

9.9
A reddish-brown grouse that lives on the moors of Great Britain
  • noun
  • Archaic
translation icon : ave de los pantanos
  • The call of the moor-bird echoed across the misty moors at dawn.

Examples

  • He spotted a flock of moor-birds feeding among the heather.

  • The moor-bird is known for its distinctive reddish-brown feathers.

  • During the hunting season, the moor-bird is highly prized by gamekeepers.

  • Look! A moor-bird just flew by!

  • The moor-bird is known for its distinctive reddish-brown feathers, which help it blend into the moorland surroundings.

  • During the hunting season, the moor-bird is highly prized by gamekeepers for its culinary qualities.

  • He spotted a flock of moor-birds feeding among the heather on the rugged hills of Scotland.

Synonyms

Lagopus scoticus
vsmoor-bird
  • Specialized
9.9

A reddish-brown grouse that lives on moors in Great Britain

is the common, descriptive name rather than the scientific label
moorbird
vsmoor-bird
  • Archaic
9.9

A reddish-brown bird that lives on upland moors in Great Britain

uses the hyphenated written form rather than the variant spelling
moorfowl
vsmoor-bird
  • UK
9.9

A reddish-brown bird that lives on upland moors in Great Britain

refers to the species in general rather than stressing game status
red grouse
vsmoor-bird
  • UK
9.0

A reddish-brown bird that lives on high moors in Britain and is often hunted

uses a neutral species name without mentioning color or sport use
moorgame
vsmoor-bird
  • UK
9.9

A reddish-brown bird that lives on the moors in Britain

is the biological species name rather than a hunting term

Surface Forms

moor-bird singular
moor-birds plural

Morphology

moor-bird = moor + bird (transparent) = moor + bird

The compound directly denotes a bird associated with moorland; meaning is predictable from 'moor' + 'bird'.

Etymology

Moor-bird comes from the old English word moor, meaning 'open wild land', and the simple word bird, so it literally means a 'bird of the moor'. That's a helpful way to remember that the moor-bird is the reddish-brown grouse known as the 'red grouse' that lives on heather-covered moors in Britain.