plover

noun

plo·​ver ˈplə-vər How to pronounce plover (audio) ˈplō- How to pronounce plover (audio)
plural plover or plovers
1
: any of a family (Charadriidae) of shorebirds that differ from the sandpipers in having a short hard-tipped bill and usually a stouter more compact build
2
: any of various birds (such as a turnstone or sandpiper) related to the plovers

Examples of plover in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Park District expanded the birds’ habitat at the Montrose Dunes in 2021 after Monty and Rose, the first piping plovers confirmed to nest in Chicago in over half a century, unified city residents around their success raising chicks. — Finnegan Belleau, Chicago Tribune, 9 Aug. 2026 Piping plovers reached the point of nearing extinction in the 1980s. — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 9 Aug. 2026 In Connecticut, roughly a dozen species are on the federal Endangered Species Act, including the roseate tern, piping plover, rufa red knot, Indiana bat, Northern long-eared bat, and bog turtle. — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 19 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for plover

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French plover, pluvier, from Vulgar Latin *pluviarius, from Latin pluvia rain — more at pluvial

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of plover was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing plover

Rhymes for plover

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Browse Nearby Words

Plovdiv
plover
plover page
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Cite this Entry

“Plover.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plover. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

plover

noun
plo·​ver ˈplə-vər How to pronounce plover (audio) ˈplō-vər How to pronounce plover (audio)
plural plover or plovers
: any of numerous shorebirds differing from the related sandpipers in having shorter bills

More from Merriam-Webster on plover

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about plover

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