Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Dotterel \Dot"ter*el\, a. [Cf. {Dottard}.]
   Decayed. ``Some old dotterel trees.'' [Obs.] --Ascham.

Dotterel \Dot"ter*el\, n. [From {Dote}, v. i.]
   1. (Zo["o]l.) A European bird of the Plover family
      ({Eudromias, or Charadrius, morinellus}). It is tame and
      easily taken, and is popularly believed to imitate the
      movements of the fowler.

            In catching of dotterels we see how the foolish bird
            playeth the ape in gestures.          -- Bacon.

   Note: The ringed dotterel (or ring plover) is {Charadrius
         hiaticula}.

   2. A silly fellow; a dupe; a gull. --Barrow.

Source : WordNet®

dotterel
     n : rare plover of upland areas of Eurasia [syn: {dotrel}, {Charadrius
         morinellus}, {Eudromias morinellus}]