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Definition of spinebill

spinebill

/ˈspaɪn.bɪl/
spine · bill
Plural:spinebills
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spinebill Lexical Profile

• noun

1

Australian A small Australian honeyeater bird of the genus Acanthorhynchus, characterized by its striking plumage and a notably long, slender, down-curved beak adapted for extracting nectar from tubular flowers.

Example

"The Eastern spinebill darted quickly among the grevillea bushes, using its specialized beak to probe deep into the red blossoms."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for spinebill

• Nearby Words

spindle
spindly
spine
spinebill
spined
spinefoot
spineless

Word Origin & Etymology

A descriptive compound of the English words 'spine' and 'bill', coined in the 19th century in reference to the bird's distinctive long, thin, and slightly down-curved beak that resembles a sharp spine.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

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