cur·lew

(kûrl′yo͞o, kûr′lo͞o)

Any of several brownish, long-legged shorebirds of the genus Numenius, having long, slender, downward-curving bills.

[Middle English curleu, from Old French courlieu, perhaps of imitative origin.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

curlew

(ˈkɜːljuː)

(Animals) any large shore bird of the genus Numenius, such as N. arquata of Europe and Asia: family Scolopacidae (sandpipers, etc), order Charadriiformes. They have a long downward-curving bill and occur in northern and arctic regions. Compare stone curlew

[C14: from Old French corlieu, perhaps of imitative origin]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

cur•lew

(ˈkɜr lu)

n.

any of several large shorebirds of the genus Numenius, having a long, slender bill that curves down.

[1300–50; Middle English < Anglo-French curleu, c. Middle French corleu; perhaps imitative]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

curlew - large migratory shorebirds of the sandpiper family; closely related to woodcocks but having a down-curved bill

limicoline bird, shore bird, shorebird - any of numerous wading birds that frequent mostly seashores and estuaries

genus Numenius, Numenius - curlews

European curlew, Numenius arquata - common Eurasian curlew

Eskimo curlew, Numenius borealis - New World curlew that breeds in northern North America

curlew

noun

Related words
collective noun herd

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

Translations

courlis

chiurlo

curlew

[ˈkɜːluː] N → zarapito m

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

curlew

[ˈkɜː^rljuː] n (= bird) → courlis m

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

curlew

n → Brachvogel m

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

curlew

[ˈkɜːluː] n → chiurlo

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

One great gray bird, a gull or curlew, soared aloft in the blue heaven.

View in context

There is one lizard and two waders, namely, a snipe and curlew. Of plants there are nineteen species, including a fern; and some of these are the same with those growing here, though on a spot so immensely remote, and in a different ocean.

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Except these, the plover and the curlew are the only inhabitants until you come to the Chesterfield high road.

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The country abounded with aquatic and land birds, such as swans, wild geese, brant, ducks of almost every description, pelicans, herons, gulls, snipes, curlews, eagles, vultures, crows, ravens, magpies, woodpeckers, pigeons, partridges, pheasants, grouse, and a great variety of singing birds.

View in context

It may be we may kill some alcamies (a fowl like our curlews) for ourselves, for I know he keeps the gunner's stores in the ship." "Yes," says he, "I'll bring some;" and accordingly he brought a great leather pouch, which held a pound and a half of powder, or rather more; and another with shot, that had five or six pounds, with some bullets, and put all into the boat.

View in context

There were geese, barrel-headed and black-backed, teal, widgeon, mallard, and sheldrake, with curlews, and here and there a flamingo.

View in context

Ten Great White Egrets are at Connah's Quay, two at RSPB Cors Ddyga and another is at RSPB Conwy, where Little Stint, Knot and a Curlew Sandpiper were spotted on Sunday.

BIRD NOTES With Julian Hughes

This week has seen another small step for the iconic curlew - a flight of hope and faith for its supporters.

Curlews get a head start on the Stiperstones

Unfortunately, the programme announced that the once abundant farm bird, the curlew, is yet another of our birds in decline and now tops the list of most endangered species.

Threat of extinction for curfew in 15 years; LETTERS

As well as removing suitable habitats, forests gave shelter to predators: one RSPB study of curlew breeding found that predation accounted for about 90% of nest failures - with foxes and crows among the major culprits.

Angry farmers 'tired of being scapegoated'

Then, to really lift my heart, the lovely lilting voice of a lone curlew drifted across the fields.

The sound of spring is music to our ears

It was an opportunity for the public to see the large numbers of wintering wading birds, such as Lapwing and Curlew, which come into the reserve at this time of year.

PUBLIC TURN OUT FOR LITTLE BIT OF WADING