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Definition of mousebird

mousebird

/ˈmaʊsˌbɝd/
mouse · bird
Plural:mousebirds
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mousebird Lexical Profile

mousebird Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

Any of several small, slender African birds constituting the order Coliiformes, characterized by soft, grayish or brownish plumage, long tail feathers, and a distinctive habit of scurrying acrobatically through dense foliage.

Example

"During our safari in Kenya, we spotted a speckled mousebird darting nimbly through the thorny acacia bushes."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for mousebird

• Nearby Words

mourning dove
mourning gecko
mouse
mousebird
mouselike
mousemat
mousepad

Word Origin & Etymology

A compound of 'mouse' and 'bird', so named because of their soft, downy, hair-like plumage and their distinct habit of scurrying through the underbrush much like mice.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

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