ETYM Old Fren. plovier, French pluvier, prop., the rain bird, from Late Lat. (assumed) pluviarius, from Latin pluvia rain, from pluere to rain; akin to Eng. float, German fliessen to flow. Related to Float.
Any of numerous chiefly shorebirds of relatively compact build having straight bills and large pointed wings; closely related to the sandpipers.
Any shore bird of the family Charadriidae, found worldwide. Plovers are usually black or brown above, and white below, and have short bills. The largest of the ringed plovers is the killdeer Charadrius vociferus, called because of its cry.
The semipalmated plover C. semipalmatus reaches 7 in/18 cm, has a black neck ring, and is common on beaches and lakeshores.
ETYM Old Eng. and Eng. Prov. Eng. fane weathercock, banner, AS. fana a banner, flag.
(Homonym: vain, vein).
The flattened weblike part of a feather consisting of a series of barbs on either side of the shaft; SYN. web.