Meaning & use
phoebe
Last updated
UK/ˈfiːbi/
US/ˈfiːbi/
Meaning
nouncountable
A small grayish-brown North American bird that catches insects in flight and often wags its tail.
Grammar: Countable: you can say a phoebe or two phoebes.
Patterns
- a phoebe
- the phoebe
- phoebes
We saw a phoebe perched on the fence, flicking its tail up and down.
The phoebe's call sounds like a raspy 'fee-bee'.
Phoebes often nest under bridges or on ledges.
Word forms
| plural | phoebes |
|---|
Common combinations
- a phoebe's call
- The phoebe's call is a familiar sound in early spring.
- spot a phoebe
- Birdwatchers hope to spot a phoebe near the stream.
- phoebe nest
- We found a phoebe nest under the eaves.
- tail-wagging phoebe
- The tail-wagging phoebe is easy to identify.
Synonyms and how they differ
- flycatcher
- Flycatcher is a broader term for many similar birds; phoebe is a specific type of flycatcher.
Commonly confused: phoebe or Phoebe?
phoebe vs Phoebe
Phoebe (capitalized) is a common female name; the bird is usually written in lowercase unless it starts a sentence.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'phoebe' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Phoebe is a noun for a bird, so it fits in sentence 0. The other options use phoebe as a verb or in the wrong meaning.
Make it your own
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