catbird

[ kat-burd ]

noun

1. any of several American or Australian birds having catlike cries, especially Dumetella carolinensis gray catbird, of North America.

catbird

/ ˈkætˌbɜːd /

noun

1. any of several North American songbirds of the family Mimidae (mockingbirds), esp Dumetella carolinensis, whose call resembles the mewing of a cat
2. any of several Australian bowerbirds of the genera Ailuroedus and Scenopoeetes, having a catlike call

Word History and Origins

Origin of catbird¹

An Americanism dating back to 1700–10; cat ( def ) + bird

Example Sentences

“Putin's aim is to show that he is in the catbird seat, and there is nothing we can do about it,” this former officer said.

From The Daily Beast

You might have thought that with Borders shutting down, Barnes and Noble would be sitting in the catbird seat.

From The Daily Beast

There's no question that Republicans are sitting in the catbird's seat.

From The Daily Beast

He never has those fine intervals of lunacy into which his cousins, the catbird and the mavis, are apt to fall.

From Project Gutenberg

There is no whine of the panther, no whistle of the catbird, nor any invention of the devilish Mingoes, that can cheat me!

From Project Gutenberg

Then a catbird and a brown thrush sang against a grosbeak and a hermit thrush.

From Project Gutenberg

All its habits are similar to our Catbird, and like that species, it is given to imitating the notes of other birds.

From Project Gutenberg

A Catbird hopped lightly in the shadow of the tool-house, and I suspect some Robins of foraging turn with their young families.

From Project Gutenberg