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Definition of spinebill
spinebill
/ˈspaɪn.bɪl/
spine · bill
Plural:spinebills
spinebill Lexical Profile
CEFR
C1
Grade
9
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
• 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 spinebillWord 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 Oct 14, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/spinebill