ENGLISH DICTIONARY

Magpie

Definition, Meaning & Examples

Pronunciation /ˈmæɡˌpaɪ/ · Part of speech noun

Quick meaning: Magpie is a noun meaning One of several kinds of bird in the family Corvidae, especially Pica pica.

Meaning

One of several kinds of bird in the family Corvidae, especially Pica pica.

A superficially similar Australian bird, Gymnorhina tibicen, in the family Artamidae.
(figurative) Someone who displays a magpie-like quality such as hoarding or stealing objects.
(UK, firearms) In the sport of fullbore target rifle, the third circle on a target, between the inner and outer.
(UK, slang, obsolete) A halfpenny.
(attributively) A pattern resembling the pied plumage of a magpie.
(transitive) To mark with patches of black and white or light and dark.
(slang) A fan or member of Newcastle United F.C.

The little rail-enclosed plots that lay between the pavements and the hotels were magpied with torn paper […]

[…] she stood at the window and saw the lake blue with spring and a few patches of snow that magpied the hills.

The worst part of my experience in this magpie livery was yet to come, for I was to appear in it the next day at church.

[…] they looked down upon Highmost Redmanhey, timber and plaster magpied by the moon, and a lamp in the window of the room where Susan lay.

Depending on context, synonyms include haggister, maggie, pica, pie, piet, mottle.

Related dictionary entries include scavenger, wigeon, foot, pie, footer, chatterbox.

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