peewit

English

Alternative forms

• pewit

Etymology

Onomatopoeic; for the pronunciation /ˈpjuːɪt/ and corresponding form pewit, compare leeward, Seward, steward.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpiːwɪt/

  • Audio (US):

    (file)

• IPA^(key): /ˈpjuːɪt/ (especially, but not always, in the form pewit)

Noun

peewit (plural peewits)

1. Any of several birds:
   1. northern lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)
   2. laughing gull (Xema ridibundus)
   3. pewee or peewee
   4. (Australia) A magpie-lark (Grallina cyanoleuca).
      • 1937, Ion L. Idriess, Over the Range, Sydney: Angus and Robertson, published 1947, page 107:

        A hawk came swooping down near tree-level to be immediately assailed by screeching pee-wits.

2. The sound of the call of one of these birds.

Translations

Vanellus vanellus

• Asturian: cigoreya (ast), chova (ast), neverina (ast), pegueta (ast), peguiella (ast)
• Belarusian: кні́гаўка f (kníhawka), ка́ня f (kánja)
• Czech: čejka chocholatá
• French: vanneau huppé (fr) m
• German: Kiebitz (de) m
• Irish: pilibín m
• Kalmyk: заарг (zaarg)
• Scots: teuchat
• Scottish Gaelic: curracag f, adharcan m
• Welsh: cornchwiglen f