siskin

[ sis-kin ]

noun
  1. any of several small, cardueline finches, especially Carduelis spinus, of Europe.

Origin of siskin

1
First recorded in 1555–65; from Middle Dutch sijsken, equivalent to sijs (from Middle Low German czītze, from Slavic; compare Sorbian cyž, Czech číž, Polish czyż “siskin,” ultimately imitative of the sound) + -ken diminutive suffix; see origin at -kin

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How to use siskin in a sentence

  • They were pine siskins, which I had ample opportunity to study in my rambles among the mountains in 1901.

    Birds of the Rockies | Leander Sylvester Keyser
  • The robins and siskins make some of their most thrilling plunges over such cliffs as are shown in the picture.

    Birds of the Rockies | Leander Sylvester Keyser
  • A flock of diminutive gold-crests rush past us, and in the fir wood we hear but cannot see a flock of siskins.

    Poachers and Poaching | John Watson
  • The first comprehends those birds which live only on seeds, such as canaries, goldfinches, and siskins.

  • Siskins come at uncertain intervals; and in very severe seasons the snow-bunting is sometimes noticed.

    Lancashire | Leo H. (Leo Hartley) Grindon

British Dictionary definitions for siskin

siskin

/ (ˈsɪskɪn) /


noun
  1. a yellow-and-black Eurasian finch, Carduelis spinus

  2. pine siskin a North American finch, Spinus pinus, having a streaked yellowish-brown plumage

Origin of siskin

1
C16: from Middle Dutch sīseken, from Middle Low German sīsek; related to Czech čižek, Russian chizh

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012