whippoorwill

noun

Etymology: Imitative of its note.

1. A nocturnal insectivorous bird of North America (Antrostomus vociferus, syn. Caprimulgus vociferus), a type of nightjar, named after its characteristic call.

   ““Seems like I heard a whippoorwill callinʼ, and I thought to myself, Go on away from here, weʼll whip ole Will when we find him.””

2. The distinctive call of the above bird.

   “The bird sang his whippoorwills all night.”

   “From across the road a bird sang 'Whippoorwill, whippoorwill!'”