beak
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About Our Definitions: All forms of a word (noun, verb, etc.) are now displayed on one page.beak
noun \ˈbēk\Definition of BEAK
1
a : the bill of a bird; especially : a strong short broad bill b (1) : the elongated sucking mouth of some insects (as the true bugs) (2) : any of various rigid projecting mouth structures (as of a turtle) c : the human nose
2
: a pointed structure or formation: a : a metal-pointed beam projecting from the bow especially of an ancient galley for piercing an enemy ship b : the spout of a vessel c : a continuous slight architectural projection ending in an arris — see molding illustration d : a process suggesting the beak of a bird
3
— beaked \ˈbēkt\ adjective
— beaky \ˈbē-kē\ adjective
See Examples of BEAK
- the beak of a hawk
- an actor with a big beak
Origin of BEAK
Middle English bec, from Anglo-French, from Latin beccus, of Gaulish origin
First Known Use: 13th century
beak
noun (Concise Encyclopedia)Stiff, projecting oral structure of birds and turtles (both of which lack teeth) and certain other animals (e.g., cephalopods and some insects, fishes, and mammals). The term bill is preferred for the beak of a bird, which is composed of upper and lower jaws covered by a horny sheath of skin, with the nostrils on top, usually at the base. The shapes and sizes of bills are adapted for obtaining food, preening, building nests, and other functions; they range from the long, slim bills of nectar-sipping hummingbirds to the sturdy, curved, nut-cracking bills of parrots.
Variants of BEAK
beak or bill
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