any of various swallow-like shore birds of the southern Old World genus Glareola and related genera, esp G. pratincola, having long pointed wings, short legs, and a short bill: family Glareolidae, order Charadriiformes
Word origin
C18: from New Latin pratincola field-dwelling, from Latin prātum meadow + incola inhabitant
pratincole in American English
(ˈprætənkoʊl; ˈprætɪŋˌkoʊl)
noun
any of various small Old World shorebirds (family Glareolidae) with long, pointedwings and a forked tail; esp., the Eurasian pratincole (Glareola pratincola)
Word origin
< ModL pratincola < L pratum, meadow (see prairie) + incola, inhabitant < in-, in-1 + colere, to till: see cult