Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Plover?

\Plov"er\, n. [OF. plovier, F. pluvier, prop., the rain bird, fr. LL. (assumed) pluviarius, fr. L. pluvia rain, from pluere to rain; akin to E. float, G. fliessen to flow. See {Float}.] 1. (Zo["o]l.) Any one of numerous species of limicoline birds belonging to the family {Charadrid[ae]}, and especially those belonging to the subfamily {Charadrins[ae]}. They are prized as game birds. 2. (Zo["o]l.) Any grallatorial bird allied to, or resembling, the true plovers, as the crab plover ({Dromas ardeola}); the American upland, plover ({Bartramia longicauda}); and other species of sandpipers. Note: Among the more important species are the {blackbellied, or blackbreasted, plover} ({Charadrius squatarola}) of America and Europe; -- called also {gray plover}, {bull-head plover}, {Swiss plover}, {sea plover}, and {oxeye}; the {golden plover} (see under {Golden}); the {ring or ringed plover} ({[AE]gialitis hiaticula}). See {Ringneck}. The {piping plover} ({[AE]gialitis meloda}); {Wilson's plover} ({[AE]. Wilsonia}); the {mountain plover} ({[AE]. montana}); and the {semipalmated plover} ({[AE]. semipalmata}), are all small American species. {Bastard plover} (Zo["o]l.), the lapwing. {Long-legged}, or {yellow-legged}, {plover}. See {Tattler}. {Plover's page}, the dunlin. [Prov. Eng.] {Rock plover}, or {Stone plover}, the black-bellied plover. [Prov. Eng.] {Whistling plover}. (a) The golden plover. (b) The black-bellied plover.