corn crake: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low (specialist/technical)Formal, technical, literary (birdwatching, ornithology, nature writing)
Quick answer
What does “corn crake” mean?
A bird of the rail family with a distinctive rasping call, inhabiting farmland and meadows.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A bird of the rail family with a distinctive rasping call, inhabiting farmland and meadows.
A term occasionally used as a metaphor for something or someone that is elusive, heard but not easily seen, or associated with rural, agricultural life.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is used in both dialects, but the bird itself is much rarer in North America (a rare vagrant), so the term is far more common in British English contexts related to European conservation and birdwatching.
Connotations
In the UK, it strongly connotes conservation efforts and the loss of traditional farmland habitats. In the US, it is primarily a technical ornithological term.
Frequency
Significantly more frequent in UK English due to the bird's presence and cultural relevance. Virtually unknown in everyday American English.
Grammar
How to Use “corn crake” in a Sentence
The corn crake [verbs: calls, lives, breeds, hides] in [location].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “corn crake” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The meadow had a corn-crake-like call.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Academic
Used in ornithology, ecology, and conservation biology papers.
Everyday
Rare. Might be used by birdwatchers, farmers, or in nature documentaries.
Technical
Standard term in field guides and species inventories.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “corn crake”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “corn crake”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “corn crake”
- Spelling it as 'corncrake' (one word is acceptable but less common than two). Using it as a verb.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a bird in the rail family (Rallidae), not related to ducks.
No, it is very elusive and prefers to hide in tall grass, making it more often heard than seen.
It is most commonly written as two separate words ('corn crake'), though the hyphenated form 'corn-crake' and single word 'corncrake' are also found.
Historically, 'corn' in British English referred to grain crops in general (like wheat, barley, oats). The bird inhabits these types of farmland.
A bird of the rail family with a distinctive rasping call, inhabiting farmland and meadows.
Corn crake is usually formal, technical, literary (birdwatching, ornithology, nature writing) in register.
Corn crake: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkɔːn ˌkreɪk/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkɔːrn ˌkreɪk/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “As elusive as a corn crake (rare literary use)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'CORN CRAKE = it CRAKs in the CORNfields.'
Conceptual Metaphor
ELUSIVENESS IS A HIDDEN BIRD (for something present but difficult to observe).
Practice
Quiz
In which context are you most likely to encounter the term 'corn crake'?