magpie
mag·pie/ˈmæɡˌpaɪ/noun, verb
magpie is spelled M-A-G-P-I-E: 6 letters and 2 syllables (mag·pie). It appears about once in every 1 million words in written English, the 32,798th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, magpie means “One of several kinds of bird in the family Corvidae, especially Pica pica” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of magpie is magpies.
How many letters and syllables are in magpie?
| Letters | 6: M-A-G-P-I-E |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2: mag·pie |
| In writing | about once in every 1 million words; the 32,798th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is magpie?
Magpie appears about once in every 1 million words in written English, the 32,798th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce magpie?
- /ˈmæɡˌpaɪ/
Magpie has 2 syllables, split mag·pie in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-au-magpie.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of magpie
- magpies plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- magpieing participle, present
- magpied participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does magpie mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
One of several kinds of bird in the family Corvidae, especially Pica pica.
- 2
A superficially similar Australian bird, Gymnorhina tibicen, in the family Artamidae.
- 3
Someone who displays a magpie-like quality such as hoarding or stealing objects.
- 4
slangA fan or member of Newcastle United F.C.
- 5
UKIn the sport of fullbore target rifle, the third circle on a target, between the inner and outer.
- 6
UKobsoleteslangA halfpenny.
- 7
A pattern resembling the pied plumage of a magpie.
verb
- 1
To mark with patches of black and white or light and dark.
- 2
To steal or hoard (items) as magpies are believed to do.
- 3
To talk idly; to talk about other people's private business.
noun
- 1
Someone connected with Newcastle United Football Club, as a fan, player, coach, etc.
- 2
Someone connected with Notts County Football Club, as a fan, player, coach, etc.
- 3
Someone connected with Collingwood Football Club, as a fan, player, coach, etc.
- 4
Someone connected with the Western Suburbs Magpies, as a fan, player, coach, etc.
- 5
A town in the City of Ballarat, central western Victoria, Australia.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Magpie in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | pie , pie bavarde , cassican flûteur |
| German | Elster |
| Portuguese | gralha, pega |
| Spanish | urraca, picaza , marica, pega |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does magpie come from?
From Mag, a nickname for Margaret that was used to denote a chatterer, + archaic pie (“magpie”), from Middle English pie, pye, from Old French pie, from Latin pīca, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)peyk- (“woodpecker, magpie”). Displaced native Old English agu (“magpie”) and Middle English aguster (“magpie”), whence English haggister.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).