资料来源 : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Plover \Plov"er\, n. [OF. plovier, F. pluvier, prop., the rain
   bird, fr. LL. (assumed) pluviarius, fr. L. pluvia rain, from
   pluere to rain; akin to E. float, G. fliessen to flow. See
   {Float}.]
   1. (Zo["o]l.) Any one of numerous species of limicoline birds
      belonging to the family {Charadrid[ae]}, and especially
      those belonging to the subfamily {Charadrins[ae]}. They
      are prized as game birds.

   2. (Zo["o]l.) Any grallatorial bird allied to, or resembling,
      the true plovers, as the crab plover ({Dromas ardeola});
      the American upland, plover ({Bartramia longicauda}); and
      other species of sandpipers.

   Note: Among the more important species are the {blackbellied,
         or blackbreasted, plover} ({Charadrius squatarola}) of
         America and Europe; -- called also {gray plover},
         {bull-head plover}, {Swiss plover}, {sea plover}, and
         {oxeye}; the {golden plover} (see under {Golden}); the
         {ring or ringed plover} ({[AE]gialitis hiaticula}). See
         {Ringneck}. The {piping plover} ({[AE]gialitis
         meloda}); {Wilson's plover} ({[AE]. Wilsonia}); the
         {mountain plover} ({[AE]. montana}); and the
         {semipalmated plover} ({[AE]. semipalmata}), are all
         small American species.

   {Bastard plover} (Zo["o]l.), the lapwing.

   {Long-legged}, or {yellow-legged}, {plover}. See {Tattler}.
      

   {Plover's page}, the dunlin. [Prov. Eng.]

   {Rock plover}, or {Stone plover}, the black-bellied plover.
      [Prov. Eng.]

   {Whistling plover}.
      (a) The golden plover.
      (b) The black-bellied plover.

资料来源 : WordNet®

piping plover
     n : small plover of eastern North America [syn: {Charadrius
         melodus}]