dotterel

American  

[dot-er-uhl] / ˈdɒt ər əl /

Also dottrel

noun

1. any of several plovers usually inhabiting upland areas, especially Eudromias morinellus, of Europe and Asia.

2. British Dialect. a silly, stupid person, especially one who is easily duped.

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dotterel British  

/ ˈdɒtrəl /

noun

1. a rare Eurasian plover, Eudromias morinellus, with reddish-brown underparts and white bands around the head and neck

2. any similar and related bird, esp of the genus Charadrius

3. dialect a person who is foolish or easily duped

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Etymology

Origin of dotterel

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

Example Sentences

Scotland is home to Arctic specialists - birds like dotterel, snow bunting and ptarmigan - which are found high on Scotland's mountains.

From BBC • Sep. 25, 2022

Other names of birds not quite so common used to describe stupid people are dotterel and dodo.

From Stories That Words Tell Us by O'Neill, Elizabeth (Elizabeth Speakman)

This poor dotterel, Sir Arthur, is playing fast and loose with me.

From Anna St. Ives by Holcroft, Thomas

As we pursued our journey homewards on the following day, we passed several flights of dotterel making to the south, this being the first migration we had observed in that direction.

From Expedition into Central Australia by Sturt, Charles

The dotterel is a bird which is very easily caught, and it was from this fact that it got its name, which comes from dote, to be "silly" or "feeble-minded."

From Stories That Words Tell Us by O'Neill, Elizabeth (Elizabeth Speakman)