chirp

[ churp ]

verb (used without object)

1. to make a characteristic short, sharp sound, as small birds and certain insects.
2. to make any similar sound:

   The children chirped with amusement.

verb (used with object)

1. to sound or utter in a chirping manner:

   The little girl chirped her joy.

noun

1. a chirping sound.

CHIRP

¹

/ tʃɜːp /

acronym for

1. Confidential Human Incidents Reporting Programme: a system, run by the RAF Institute of Medicine, by which commercial pilots can comment on safety trends without the knowledge of their employers

chirp

²

/ tʃɜːp /

verb

1. (esp of some birds and insects) to make a short high-pitched sound
2. to speak in a lively fashion

noun

1. a chirping sound, esp that made by a bird

Derived Forms

• ˈchirper, noun

Other Words From

• chirper noun
• chirping·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of chirp¹

1400–50; late Middle English chyrpynge (gerund); expressive word akin to cheep, chirk, etc.

Word History and Origins

Origin of chirp¹

C15 (as chirpinge, gerund): of imitative origin

Example Sentences

If you’d rather not listen to chirps and caws, just seek out music that makes you feel calm.

From Popular-Science

This might produce an “anti-chirp” — a pattern of gravitational waves opposite to a chirp’s — before plunging back in with a chirp.

From Science News For Students

Those chirps are received by any nearby Bluetooth device, such as another phone.

From Science News For Students

So any phone with Bluetooth will have data about chirps it sent out and chirps it got from other smartphones it had been near.

From Science News For Students

Information about the stored chirps would then become part of a large public database.

From Science News For Students

Nancy enjoyed music and hearing birds chirp and the sound of children playing.

From The Daily Beast

In a back room, video poker machines ding and chirp with the occasional squeal of delight from a winner.

From The Daily Beast

He laughed, a high-pitched chirp that sounded like a castrato.

From The Daily Beast

Queeker rode up to the gap, shut his eyes, gave a chirp, and committed himself to fate and Slapover.

From Project Gutenberg

However, he shut his eyes, and courageously gave the accustomed chirp, and Slapover plunged down.

From Project Gutenberg

She is quite sure she understands what her big dog Tom says and her little canary Chirp.

From Project Gutenberg

Somewhere near her feet the cricket gave out an importunate chirp.

From Project Gutenberg

Then she heard a little restless bird chirp out its wakefulness from a nest in the ivy round the walls of the house.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• trill
• warble