Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

catbird

/ˈkatbɝd/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: 1.88 in modern English

Syllables: cat-bird
IPA: /ˈkatbɝd/

12

Scrabble Score

7

Letters

2

Syllables

7

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

An American passerine bird of the genera Dumetella and Melanoptila.

noun

Any of four species of Australasian bowerbirds of the genera Ailuroedus and Scenopoeetes.

noun

A babbler-like bird from eastern Africa, Parophasma galinieri.

Example Sentences

"The catbird’s note exactly resembles the voice of a kitten, that a stranger to it would instantly conclude that such an animal "had got bewildered in the branches"."
"I recall a catbird high in the water oak above, swinging like a rag amid the branches, jabbering and screeching [...]."
"The cat bird had a forlorn cry, like a whimpering child or the animal it is named for."

Etymology

From cat + bird, because its cry is said to resemble that of a cat.

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈkatbɝd/
British English: /ˈkatbɜːd/

Inflected Forms

catbirds (plural) cat bird (alternative)

Phrases

black-eared catbird catbird grape catbird seat gray catbird green catbird ochre-breasted catbird spotted catbird tan-capped catbird

Frequently Paired Words

Dumetella carolinensis Melanoptila glabrirostris Ailuroedus Scenopoeetes Parophasma galinieri

Synonyms

grey catbird gray catbird dumetella carolinensis bowerbird

Questions

How do you pronounce catbird?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈkatbɝd/.
What does catbird mean?: An American passerine bird of the genera Dumetella and Melanoptila.
Where does catbird come from?: From cat + bird, because its cry is said to resemble that of a cat.

How to pronounce catbird

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “catbird”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈkatbɝd/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “catbird”.
Repeat and practice — Say “catbird” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.