bobwhite

noun

bob·​white ˈbäb-ˈ(h)wīt How to pronounce bobwhite (audio)
: any of a genus (Colinus) of New World quail
especially : a popular game bird (C. virginianus) of eastern and central North America having mottled chiefly reddish-brown plumage

Examples of bobwhite in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Spring-fed ponds stocked with bass, a cypress duck pond, wooded acreage for deer and wild bobwhite quail, orchards, gardens, and a swimming pool spread across the grounds. — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 20 Aug. 2026 Hunting them was bobwhite hunting in a Mexican environment. — Jack O'Connor, Outdoor Life, 23 Oct. 2025 The villagers raised their hands in prayer, asking God to calm the gust for the sake of the bobwhite, the starling, and the fowl. — Literary Hub, 17 Oct. 2025 Cardinals, grosbeaks, bobwhites, and other wildlife eat redbud seeds. — Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for bobwhite

Word History

Etymology

imitative

First Known Use

1819, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bobwhite was in 1819

Rhymes for bobwhite

See All Rhymes for bobwhite

Browse Nearby Words

bob wheel
bobwhite
bob wig
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bobwhite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bobwhite. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

bobwhite

noun
bob·​white (ˈ)bäb-ˈhwīt How to pronounce bobwhite (audio)
-ˈwīt
: any of several American quails
especially : a gray, white, and reddish game bird of the eastern and central U.S.
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of conscientious

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All