What does plover mean?
A plover is a compact shorebird commonly seen on beaches, mudflats, grassland, and other open habitats near water. Members of the group have relatively short bills, rounded bodies, and plumage that may be mottled, brightly colored, or seasonally variable; familiar examples include the golden plover and the widespread killdeer. Plover often refers collectively to a family of related birds, though its application can vary in regional and historical usage. Many species nest directly on the ground, and some use distraction displays, including pretending to have an injured wing, to draw predators away from eggs or chicks. In golf, the word has a separate specialized meaning: a plover is a one-handed bunker shot that raises the ball from sand and places it on or near the green. Thus, the bird meaning dominates ordinary use, while the golf meaning is familiar chiefly to players, coaches, and sports commentators.
nounA plover is a small, compact shorebird of the family Charadriidae, typically found on open ground near water and distinguished by its short bill, rounded body, and varied plumage. In golf, a plover is a one-handed bunker shot that lifts the ball onto the green.
- Any of various small to medium-sized shorebirds of the family Charadriidae, including the golden, ringed, and killdeer plovers.
- A one-handed golf shot played from a sand bunker, usually designed to land the ball on or near the green.
"A pair of plovers nested on the bare ground beyond the dunes."
"The golden plover wheeled above the salt marsh before settling among the scattered flock."
"From the bunker, she played a delicate plover that barely climbed onto the green."
The regular plural is used for both the birds and the golf shots.
"Several plovers called from the exposed shoreline."
A threatened ground-nesting plover may feign a broken wing to lure predators away from its nest.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does plover come from?
The word entered English in the Middle English period through Old French forms related to plouvier, which in turn came from Latin pluvia, meaning “rain.” The connection with rain is traditionally associated with the birds' seasonal appearance, although the precise historical explanation of the English form is not entirely straightforward. Modern English cognates in the same Latin family include pluvial, meaning “of or relating to rain,” and pluviology, the study of rainfall.
How plover is actually used
The golf sense is specialized and typically appears in formal golf reporting or instruction. In everyday birdwatching usage, plover generally refers to a member of the plover family rather than to all similar-looking shorebirds.
Easily confused with plover
The plural is plovers, with one o; plover is the singular form.