birdie
birdie Lexical Profile
birdie Game Scores & Validity
• noun
In golf, a score of one stroke under par on an individual hole.
"She sank a twenty-foot putt on the final hole to secure a birdie and win the tournament."
An informal or child's term for a small bird.
"The toddler pointed excitedly at the little birdie perched on the garden fence."
North American A shuttlecock used in the game of badminton.
"He hit the birdie high over the net during their backyard badminton match."
• verb
To play a golf hole in one stroke under par.
"He managed to birdie three consecutive holes on the back nine to take the lead."
• Rhymes for birdie
Word Origin & Etymology
First recorded in the late 18th century as an affectionate diminutive of "bird." The golf sense originated in the United States around 1903, derived from 19th-century American slang where "bird" meant anything excellent or first-rate.