chickadee

[ chik-uh-dee ]

/ ˈtʃɪk əˌdi /

Save This Word!

noun

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.

QUIZ

ARE YOU A TRUE BLUE CHAMPION OF THESE "BLUE" SYNONYMS?

We could talk until we're blue in the face about this quiz on words for the color "blue," but we think you should take the quiz and find out if you're a whiz at these colorful terms.

Question 1 of 8

Which of the following words describes “sky blue”?

navy

beryl

azure

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Meet Grammar Coach

Write or paste your essay, email, or story into Grammar Coach and get grammar help

Improve Your Writing

Meet Grammar CoachImprove Your Writing

Origin of chickadee

First recorded in 1820–30; imitative

Words nearby chickadee

chichi, Chichihaerh, Chichivache, chick, chickabiddy, chickadee, Chickahominy, Chickamauga, chickaree, Chickasaw, Chickasawhay

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

How to use chickadee in a sentence

He wanted evidence the gray-headed chickadee still existed here.
Endangered or just rare? Statistics give meaning to the head counts|Rachel Crowell|August 26, 2021|Science News For Students
Hoping to turn up reports of gray-headed chickadees elsewhere in North America, Booms and his colleagues analyzed historical records.
Endangered or just rare? Statistics give meaning to the head counts|Rachel Crowell|August 26, 2021|Science News For Students
That includes birds like the American robin, blue jay and chickadee.
Around the world, birds are in crisis|Alison Pearce Stevens|December 3, 2020|Science News For Students
So we awoke in the morning, with the sunshine smiting the snow into diamonds and a chickadee piping for breakfast.
The Idyl of Twin Fires|Walter Prichard Eaton

The chickadee is a very popular bird among all the Indian tribes where it is known.
Prairie Smoke (Second Edition, Revised)|Melvin Randolph Gilmore
It is said that “in the beginning” the task of keeping account of the months was assigned to the chickadee.
Prairie Smoke (Second Edition, Revised)|Melvin Randolph Gilmore
At this time they chose to send the chickadee as a messenger to find out the conditions and to bring back word to them.
Prairie Smoke (Second Edition, Revised)|Melvin Randolph Gilmore
Now when the chickadee came on his mission and appeared at the dwellings of men he was invited to enter.
Prairie Smoke (Second Edition, Revised)|Melvin Randolph Gilmore

British Dictionary definitions for chickadee

chickadee

/ (ˈtʃɪkəˌdiː) /

noun

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)

Word Origin for chickadee

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