kinglet

[ king-lit ]

/ ˈkɪŋ lɪt /

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noun

a king ruling over a small country or territory.

any of several small, greenish, crested birds of the genus Regulus.

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Compare goldcrest, golden-crowned kinglet, ruby-crowned kinglet.

Origin of kinglet

First recorded in 1595–1605; king + -let

Words nearby kinglet

King John, kingklip, King Kong, Kinglake, King Lear, kinglet, kingly, king mackerel, kingmaker, King, Martin Luther, Jr., king-of-arms

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use kinglet in a sentence

Dr. Coues says of it: "The kinglet's exquisite vocalization defies description."
Bird Neighbors|Neltje Blanchan
Hurree Babu explained the greatness and glory, in their own country, of his companions, till the drowsy kinglet smiled.
Kim|Rudyard Kipling
The Ruby-crowned Kinglet was piping in an evergreen tree near by, but him I had been hearing for several days.
Bird Lore, Volume I--1899|Various
If you see such a pygmy again in autumn, exploring the bare twigs, it is this Kinglet.
Citizen Bird|Mabel Osgood Wright and Elliott Coues

Some kinglet of this kind was duly found, and a treaty made with him.
Mogreb-el-Acksa|R. B. Cunninghame Graham

British Dictionary definitions for kinglet

kinglet

/ (ˈkɪŋlɪt) /

noun

often derogatory the king of a small or insignificant territory

US and Canadian any of various small warblers of the genus Regulus, having a black-edged yellow crown: family Muscicapidae

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