# buzzard

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈbʌzəɹd/ · frequency rank #35,642

## Definitions
1. Any of several Old World birds of prey of the genus Buteo with broad wings and a broad tail.
2. Any scavenging bird, such as the American black vulture (Coragyps atratus) or the turkey vulture (Cathartes aura).
3. In North America, a curmudgeonly or cantankerous man; an old person; a mean, greedy person.
4. A blockhead; a dunce.
5. Synonym of double bogey.
6. A fighter plane.
7. The insignia of a colonel, or a petty officer within the navy.
8. A military discharge (due to the military discharge certificate).

## Etymology
From Middle English bosart, from Anglo-Norman buisart, from Old French busart, busard, a derivative ( + -ard) of Old French buison, buson (French buse), possibly from Latin būteō (“hawk”).

## Easily confused with
- **buzzer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/buzzard-vs-buzzer)
- **buzzed** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/buzzard-vs-buzzed)
- **buzzword** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/buzzard-vs-buzzword)
- **blizzard** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/blizzard-vs-buzzard)

## Common misspellings (9)
`bbuzzard`, `buzard`, `buzazrd`, `buzzadr`, `buzzardd`, `buzzarrd`, `buzzrad`, `bzuzard`, `ubzzard`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/buzzard