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Definition of crossbill

crossbill

/ˈkrɔːs.bɪl/
cross · bill
Plural:crossbills
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crossbill Lexical Profile

crossbill Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

Any of several finches of the genus Loxia, native to coniferous forests of the Northern Hemisphere, characterized by mandibles that cross at the tips, which are uniquely adapted for extracting seeds from conifer cones.

Example

"The researcher observed a flock of red crossbills efficiently prying open pine cones in the dense boreal forest."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for crossbill

• Nearby Words

crossbar
crossbeam
crossbench
crossbill
crossbones
crossbow
crossbred

Word Origin & Etymology

Late 16th century: literally from 'cross' + 'bill', referring directly to the physical characteristic of the bird's distinctly crossed mandibles.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Crossbill. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/crossbill
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