Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
piciform bird

piciform bird

9.9
A bird like a woodpecker with a strong bill that drills into wood to find insects
  • noun
  • /ˈpɪkɪˌfɔrm bɜrd/
  • Specialized
: pájaro piciforme
  • Many piciform birds, such as woodpeckers, have specialized feet for gripping bark.

Examples

  • The piciform bird drilled a hole in the old oak tree to find insects.

  • A piciform bird pecked at the tree trunk.

  • Scientists studied several piciform birds to understand their adaptation to climbing.

  • The piciform birds are known for their distinctive calls.

  • Many piciform birds, such as woodpeckers, have strong bills that help them find insects in trees.

  • The piciform bird used its sharp bill to dig into the bark of the tree for food.

  • Scientists researched various piciform birds to learn about their unique features and behaviors.

Surface Forms

piciform bird singular
piciform birds plural

Morphology

piciform + bird

The adjective 'piciform' is a rare, technical term (relating to the order Piciformes/woodpecker‑like) and is not transparently built from common English morphemes that a B1 learner would know; only 'bird' is immediately clear. Because the crucial lexical piece is specialized and its meaning cannot be derived from ordinary knowledge of English words, a B1 learner who merely knows 'bird' would not be able to infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Piciform bird The name piciform bird comes from Latin: picus meaning 'woodpecker' and the ending -form meaning 'shape' or 'like'. So it literally means a bird 'like a woodpecker', which is why scientists use it for woodpeckers and similar birds.