songbird

American  

[sawng-burd, song-] / ˈsɔŋˌbɜrd, ˈsɒŋ- /

noun

1. a bird that sings.

2. any passerine bird of the suborder Oscines.

3. Slang. a woman vocalist.

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songbird British  

/ ˈsɒŋˌbɜːd /

noun

1. any passerine bird of the suborder Oscines, having highly developed vocal organs and, in most, a musical call

2. any bird having a musical call

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Etymology

Origin of songbird

First recorded in 1765–75; song + bird

Example Sentences

A philosopher, historian, songbird of grief and prophet, Didion foretold the city’s future with startling accuracy.

From Los Angeles Times

This region shelters not only migratory songbirds but also jaguars, tapirs, and scarlet macaws.

From Science Daily

So she let herself sleep, too, and dreamed only of happy things: chirping songbirds and Black Forest cake, and sweet-tempered ponies with long red ribbons braided through their silky manes.

From Literature

There was a pretty songbird labeled a snow lark and a gray-furred rodent called an alpine marmot.

From Literature

As a small-scale songbird rehabilitator I am not equipped, for instance, to take on a pileated woodpecker, which can smash its way out of any enclosure not made of steel.

From The Wall Street Journal