king rail


noun
  1. a large, long-billed rail, Rallus elegans, of North America, having reddish-brown plumage.

Origin of king rail

1
An Americanism dating back to 1825–35

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use king rail in a sentence

  • A grayish colored Rail, about the size of, and with the markings similar to those of the king rail.

    The Bird Book | Chester A. Reed
  • It is as exclusively a salt water species as the king rail is a fresh water one.

    The Bird Book | Chester A. Reed
  • The king rail is the largest of the American true rails and is favored with a number of popular names.

  • Its nesting or eggs will not differ from those of the king rail.

    The Bird Book | Chester A. Reed
  • She had heard the king rail to his barons upon the impudence of London.

    In the Days of the Guild | Louise Lamprey