English Explanatory Dictionary

magpie

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. One of several kinds of bird in the family Corvidae, especially Pica pica.
  2. A superficially similar Australian bird, Gymnorhina tibicen, in the family Artamidae.
  3. Someone who displays a magpie-like quality such as hoarding or stealing objects.
  4. A fan or member of Newcastle United F.C.
  5. In the sport of fullbore target rifle, the third circle on a target, between the inner and outer.
  6. A halfpenny.
  7. A pattern resembling the pied plumage of a magpie.
verb
  1. To mark with patches of black and white or light and dark.
  2. To steal or hoard (items) as magpies are believed to do.
  3. To talk idly; to talk about other people's private business.
noun
  1. Someone connected with Newcastle United Football Club, as a fan, player, coach, etc.
  2. Someone connected with Notts County Football Club, as a fan, player, coach, etc.
  3. Someone connected with Collingwood Football Club, as a fan, player, coach, etc.
  4. Someone connected with the Western Suburbs Magpies, as a fan, player, coach, etc.
  5. A town in the City of Ballarat, central western Victoria, Australia.

Pronunciation

/ˈmæɡˌpaɪ/ En-au-magpie.ogg

Word forms

magpie magpies magpieing magpied

Etymology

From Mag, a nickname for Margaret that was used to denote a chatterer, + archaic pie (“magpie”), from Middle English pie, pye, from Old French pie, from Latin pīca, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)peyk- (“woodpecker, magpie”). Displaced native Old English agu (“magpie”) and Middle English aguster (“magpie”), whence English haggister.

Synonyms

haggister maggie Eurasian magpie European magpie common magpie pica pie piet mottle chatter gossip

Derived words

Australian magpie Cracticus tibicen Gymnorhina tibicen azure-winged magpie bell-magpie black-billed magpie black magpie blue magpie Eurasian magpie green magpie holarctic magpie Iberian magpie Korean magpie Magpie Festival magpie goose magpie inkcap magpieish magpie-jay magpie-lark magpielike magpie moth magpie-robin magpie shrike magpie tanager Murray magpie oriental magpie sea-magpie yellow-billed magpie
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