beefeater

C1 Topic:People & Society

Also spelled beef-eater

US /ˈbiːfˌiː.tɚ/ UK /ˈbiːfˌiː.tə/ See IPA manual

Freq #106993

Meanings

1

noun
a person who eats beef, especially one characterized as eating a great deal of it

The essay contrasts an abstemious vegetarian with a lifelong beefeater.
2

noun
informal, often capitalized: a Yeoman Warder at the Tower of London, or historically a member of the royal yeoman guard

A Beefeater led the visitors through the Tower's inner ward.
3

noun
historical: an oxpecker, an African bird that feeds on ticks and other parasites found on large mammals

An old field guide labels the red-billed oxpecker a beefeater.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a person who eats beef,... beef eatermeat eater

2 noun · informal, often... Yeoman WarderYeoman of the Guard

3 noun · historical: an oxpecker, an... oxpeckerBuphagus

Opposites

vegetarian

Word family

Related forms beefYeoman WarderTower of Londonoxpecker

Etymology

A compound of beef + eater, first transparent for a person who eats beef. Beefeater later became the familiar nickname of royal yeomen and especially the Tower of London's Yeoman Warders, though the nickname's precise origin is disputed. Older naturalists also applied the compound to oxpeckers.

Topics

People & Society Word Formation & Derivatives Register & Style

External links

# beefeater

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈbiːfˌiː.tɚ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈbiːfˌiː.tə/
**Frequency rank:** 106993

## Meanings
1. a person who eats beef, especially one characterized as eating a great deal of it
2. informal, often capitalized: a Yeoman Warder at the Tower of London, or historically a member of the royal yeoman guard
3. historical: an oxpecker, an African bird that feeds on ticks and other parasites found on large mammals

## Examples
- The essay contrasts an abstemious vegetarian with a lifelong beefeater.
- A Beefeater led the visitors through the Tower's inner ward.
- An old field guide labels the red-billed oxpecker a beefeater.

## Synonyms
- beef eater
- Yeoman Warder
- oxpecker

## Antonyms
- vegetarian

## Related Forms
- beef
- Yeoman Warder
- Tower of London
- oxpecker

## Etymology
A compound of beef + eater, first transparent for a person who eats beef. Beefeater later became the familiar nickname of royal yeomen and especially the Tower of London's Yeoman Warders, though the nickname's precise origin is disputed. Older naturalists also applied the compound to oxpeckers.

## Topics
- People & Society
- Word Formation & Derivatives
- Register & Style

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