bird's-eye

[ burdz-ahy ]
/ ˈbɜrdzˌaɪ /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR bird's-eye ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

seen from above, as by a bird in flight; panoramic: a bird's-eye view of the city.
omitting many details; hasty; superficial; general: a bird's-eye view of ancient history.
having spots or markings resembling the eyes of a bird: bird's-eye tweed.

noun, plural bird's-eyes.

any of various plants having small, round, bright-colored flowers, as a primrose, Primula farinosa, or a speedwell, Veronica chamaedrys.
Textiles.
  1. a woven, allover pattern on fabrics, characterized chiefly by small diamond shapes resembling the eyes of a bird.
  2. a fabric having this pattern, especially a cotton used for diapers or a linen used for toweling.

Origin of bird's-eye

First recorded in 1590–1600; bird + 's1 + eye

Words nearby bird's-eye

bird watcher, bird's beak, bird's eye view, bird's mouth, bird's nest, bird's-eye, bird's-eye chilli, bird's-eye maple, bird's-eye primrose, bird's-foot, bird's-foot trefoil

Words related to bird's-eye

scenic, across-the-board, broad, thorough, wholesale, comprehensive, radical, extensive, exhaustive, all-encompassing, full, complete, exaggerated, blanket, overall, general, all-around, all-inclusive, far-reaching, all-embracing

British Dictionary definitions for bird's-eye

bird's-eye

adjective

  1. seen or photographed from high above
  2. summarizing the main points of a topic; summary (esp in the phrase bird's-eye view)
having markings resembling birds' eyes

noun