chickadee
[chik-uh-dee]
- any of several North American birds of the genus Parus, of the titmouse family, especially P. atricapillus (black-capped chickadee), having the throat and top of the head black.
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Origin of chickadee
First recorded in 1820–30; imitative
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for chickadee
Historical Examples
Then, on the 27th, as I sat at my desk, a chickadee chirped outside.
The Foot-path WayBradford Torrey
How came the chickadee by his endless fund of happy spirits?
Birds in the BushBradford Torrey
This may be well illustrated by a comparison of the chickadee with the brown thrush.
Birds in the BushBradford Torrey
The chickadee, on the other hand, seldom gets mention as a singer.
Birds in the BushBradford Torrey
It was a revelation to me that a chickadee could possibly sit still so long.
Birds in the BushBradford Torrey
chickadee
- any of various small North American songbirds of the genus Parus, such as P. atricapillus (black-capped chickadee), typically having grey-and-black plumage: family Paridae (titmice)
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Word Origin
C19: imitative of its note
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
Word Origin and History for chickadee
n.
black-capped titmouse, 1834, American English, echoic of its cry.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper