roadrunner

American

[rohd-ruhn-er] / ˈroʊdˌrʌn ər /

noun

either of two large terrestrial cuckoos of the genus Geococcyx of arid regions of the western U.S., Mexico, and Central America, especially G. californianus greater roadrunner.

roadrunner British

/ ˈrəʊdˌrʌnə /

noun

Also called: chaparral cock. a terrestrial crested bird, Geococcyx californianus , of Central and S North America, having a streaked plumage and long tail: family Cuculidae (cuckoos)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of roadrunner

An Americanism dating back to 1855–60; road + runner

Compare meaning

How does roadrunner compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

roadrunner vs. rattlesnake

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He even whittled me a roadrunner because he knows how much I love birds.

From Literature

After that, we visited the newly installed Ricardo Breceda rattlesnake and roadrunner metal sculptures.

From Los Angeles Times

“There goes a roadrunner,” said Kocourek, pointing to a flash in the brush.

From Los Angeles Times

For instance, he was born with a distinctive, high-pitched voice, and his nickname, Rivi, was based on a Colombian cartoon character named Rivera, who was a roadrunner with a high voice, Newman says.

From Los Angeles Times

The second time, I saw it run out of the woods, screech to a halt, and start eating, just like that roadrunner in the cartoons.

From Literature

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023