dotterel

[ dot-er-uhl ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

any of several plovers usually inhabiting upland areas, especially Eudromias morinellus, of Europe and Asia.
British Dialect. a silly, stupid person, especially one who is easily duped.

dotterel

/ ˈdɒtrəl /

a rare Eurasian plover, Eudromias morinellus, with reddish-brown underparts and white bands around the head and neck
any similar and related bird, esp of the genus Charadrius
dialect.
a person who is foolish or easily duped

First recorded in 1400–50, dotterel is from the late Middle English word dotrelle. See dote, -rel

C15 dotrelle; see dote

Last night we had dotterel and sandpipers for dinner, this morning greenshanks, which are very good birds indeed.

One remarkable instance of this may be given, that of the dotterel, a bird already mentioned.

The thin pipe of the dotterel fell into the darkness beyond the shallows where the sea-mist lay.

The resemblance of the dotterel's egg to a pebble is no greater than the resemblance between many eggs laid in nests and pebbles.

The summer home of the Dotterel is shared, in some instances at least, with that still more mountain bird, the Ptarmigan.

April 23, 2024inveterate

[in-vet-er-it ]

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