buzzard
buzzard Lexical Profile
buzzard Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A large bird of prey with broad wings and a wide tail, typical of the genus Buteo, found widely in Europe and Asia.
"The hikers paused to watch a common buzzard circling high above the valley in search of prey."
North American A vulture, particularly the turkey vulture or black vulture, known for scavenging carrion.
"A flock of buzzards gathered around the carcass on the side of the desert highway."
A contemptible, greedy, or curmudgeonly older person.
"The miserly old buzzard refused to donate even a single penny to the neighborhood charity fund."
Word Nuance & Usage
The term 'buzzard' frequently causes confusion across regions: in Europe, it refers to hawks of the genus Buteo, while in North America, it is heavily used as a colloquial name for vultures.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Middle English 'busard', from Old French 'busard', ultimately derived from the Latin 'buteo', meaning 'falcon' or 'hawk'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.