noun one of several species of insectivorous birds, belonging to caprimulgus and allied genera, ·esp. the european species (caprimulgus europaeus);
so called from the mistaken notion that it sucks goats. the european species is also goat-milker, goat owl, goat chaffer, fern owl, night hawk, nightjar, night churr, churr-owl, gnat hawk, and dorhawk.