"lesser spotted" meaning in English

{
  "etymology_text": "From the names of certain species of bird, such as the lesser spotted woodpecker, and the humorous idea that, on account of the complicated name, these species must be rare or obscure. In such names, \"lesser spotted\" means that the bird has a spotted plumage, and that it is smaller (\"lesser\") than others of its kind. The popular idea that \"lesser spotted\" means \"seen (spotted) less often\" is a misunderstanding of the origin of the phrase, or a play on words.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "lesser-spotted",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "lesser spotted (not comparable)",
      "name": "en-adj"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              40,
              54
            ]
          ],
          "text": "She's traipsed off to Borneo to see the lesser spotted pygmy owl, or something like that.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Part of the name of some (often fictional) species of animal, used as a placeholder for some obscure or rare species that is of little interest or importance."
      ],
      "id": "en-lesser_spotted-en-adj-c2BMtCyh",
      "links": [
        [
          "fictional",
          "fictional"
        ],
        [
          "species",
          "species"
        ],
        [
          "animal",
          "animal"
        ],
        [
          "placeholder",
          "placeholder"
        ],
        [
          "obscure",
          "obscure"
        ],
        [
          "interest",
          "interest"
        ],
        [
          "importance",
          "importance"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(humorous) Part of the name of some (often fictional) species of animal, used as a placeholder for some obscure or rare species that is of little interest or importance."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "humorous",
        "not-comparable"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "37 46 17",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "13 72 15",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 1 entry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "9 83 8",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "2023, Luke Smith, The Athletic https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/live-blogs/f1-united-states-gp-live-updates-qualifying-sprint/EctEtprgTyA8/0Wgi0zQ06nG7/\nThe lesser-spotted Max Verstappen mistake. Very rare you see Verstappen make an error like that and spin."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Rare or remarkable."
      ],
      "id": "en-lesser_spotted-en-adj-oGrBxfWb",
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(humorous, by extension) Rare or remarkable."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "broadly",
        "humorous",
        "not-comparable"
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see lesser, spotted."
      ],
      "id": "en-lesser_spotted-en-adj-qKj8Frk2",
      "links": [
        [
          "lesser",
          "lesser#English"
        ],
        [
          "spotted",
          "spotted#English"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "not-comparable"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "lesser spotted"
}

{
  "categories": [
    "English adjectives",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English multiword terms",
    "English uncomparable adjectives",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries"
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From the names of certain species of bird, such as the lesser spotted woodpecker, and the humorous idea that, on account of the complicated name, these species must be rare or obscure. In such names, \"lesser spotted\" means that the bird has a spotted plumage, and that it is smaller (\"lesser\") than others of its kind. The popular idea that \"lesser spotted\" means \"seen (spotted) less often\" is a misunderstanding of the origin of the phrase, or a play on words.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "lesser-spotted",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "lesser spotted (not comparable)",
      "name": "en-adj"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English humorous terms",
        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              40,
              54
            ]
          ],
          "text": "She's traipsed off to Borneo to see the lesser spotted pygmy owl, or something like that.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Part of the name of some (often fictional) species of animal, used as a placeholder for some obscure or rare species that is of little interest or importance."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "fictional",
          "fictional"
        ],
        [
          "species",
          "species"
        ],
        [
          "animal",
          "animal"
        ],
        [
          "placeholder",
          "placeholder"
        ],
        [
          "obscure",
          "obscure"
        ],
        [
          "interest",
          "interest"
        ],
        [
          "importance",
          "importance"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(humorous) Part of the name of some (often fictional) species of animal, used as a placeholder for some obscure or rare species that is of little interest or importance."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "humorous",
        "not-comparable"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English humorous terms"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "2023, Luke Smith, The Athletic https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/live-blogs/f1-united-states-gp-live-updates-qualifying-sprint/EctEtprgTyA8/0Wgi0zQ06nG7/\nThe lesser-spotted Max Verstappen mistake. Very rare you see Verstappen make an error like that and spin."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Rare or remarkable."
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(humorous, by extension) Rare or remarkable."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "broadly",
        "humorous",
        "not-comparable"
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see lesser, spotted."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "lesser",
          "lesser#English"
        ],
        [
          "spotted",
          "spotted#English"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "not-comparable"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "lesser spotted"
}