Liberal Dictionary English Dictionary
noun
- any of several longwinged, American goatsuckers of the genus Chordeiles, related to the whippoorwill, especially C. minor, having variegated black, white, and buff plumage.
- the European goatsucker or nightjar, Caprimulgus europaeus.
- Informal. a person who is habitually up or moving about late at night; night owl.
noun
- Also called: bullbat, mosquito hawk any American nightjar of the genus Chordeiles and related genera, having a dark plumage and, in the male, white patches on the wings and tail
- informal another name for night owl
from 1610s in reference to various birds, from night + hawk (n.). Figurative sense of “one who stays up and is active at night” is from 1818.