1. Plural of dotterel; small migratory wading birds of the plover family, found in northern regions and known for their distinctive markings and breeding behavior.
Usage: ornithology; plural form
2. Plural of dotterel; an archaic or dialectal term for a silly or easily deceived person.
Usage: archaic; informal; plural form

Examples

• The dotterels migrated across the Arctic tundra each spring.
• Birdwatchers traveled to the highlands to observe the dotterels during breeding season.
• The dotterels' distinctive orange-red underparts make them easy to identify in flight.
• Several dotterels were spotted nesting on the rocky plateau.
• In Shakespeare's time, dotterels were sometimes used as a metaphor for gullible people.