especially: any of numerous oscine birds (especially genus Pachycephala) found chiefly in Australia and South Pacific islands and having a whistling call
b
: a large marmot (Marmota caligata) of northwestern North America having a shrill alarm call
c
: a broken-winded horse
d
: a very-low-frequency radio signal that is generated by lightning discharge, travels along the earth's magnetic-field lines, and produces a sound resembling a whistle of descending pitch in radio receivers
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the WebLast summer, while recording with Molly Lewis, the popular whistler, at the Sound Factory in Hollywood, Rogê met Brenneck, one of the studio’s resident producers. James Gavin, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2022 Although the reality check was discouraging, Lowery credited Lebermann with sending him on the path of being a big-band whistler. Michael Corcoran, ExpressNews.com, 29 Apr. 2020 Lowery went on to a great career as a whistler, making his name in the 1930s with the Vincent Lopez Orchestra, whose arranger was a trombone player named Glenn Miller. Michael Corcoran, ExpressNews.com, 29 Apr. 2020 Let Sean Lomax, a world champion whistler, explain the finer points of this pastime and musical art. Patrick Farrell, Wired, 22 Mar. 2020 Then four sacks of puddler decoys and one of whistlers, plus a dozen Canada goose floaters. Will Ryans, Field & Stream, 17 Mar. 2020 Any devoted audiobook listener can attest: Spending nine hours (or more) in the company of a terrible reader — a shrieker, mumbler, droner, tooth whistler or overzealous thespian — is an experience that can truly ruin a book.Dallas News, 20 Aug. 2019 Any devoted audiobook listener can attest: Spending nine hours (or more) in the company of a terrible reader — a shrieker, mumbler, droner, tooth whistler or overzealous thespian — is an experience that can truly ruin a book.Dallas News, 20 Aug. 2019 Any devoted audiobook listener can attest: Spending nine hours (or more) in the company of a terrible reader — a shrieker, mumbler, droner, tooth whistler or overzealous thespian — is an experience that can truly ruin a book.Dallas News, 20 Aug. 2019 See More
Word History
First Known Use
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of whistler was before the 12th century