kinglet

American  

[king-lit] / ˈkɪŋ lɪt /

noun

1. a king ruling over a small country or territory.

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

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kinglet British  

/ ˈkɪŋlɪt /

noun

1. derogatory the king of a small or insignificant territory

2. any of various small warblers of the genus Regulus, having a black-edged yellow crown: family Muscicapidae

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Etymology

Origin of kinglet

First recorded in 1595–1605; king + -let

Example Sentences

The scientific content is enlivened with explorations around Heinrich’s cabin in Maine, as well as results from his own delightfully ghoulish experiments — like heating up a dead kinglet and measuring its cooling rate.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 30, 2022

The team wraps up the north at 9:36 A.M. with 124 species according to Zygmont, the keeper of the list, including the hard-won meadowlark, grouse and kinglet.

From Scientific American • Sep. 15, 2021

A day after we spoke, in fact, Parkins sent along a photo of a dead golden-crowned kinglet that she’d watched collide with a window near Central Park.

From Slate • Apr. 7, 2020

One of those making an appearance could be the ruby-crowned kinglet, who winters in Mexico and the southern U.S. and is just passing through on its way to Canada or Alaska.

From Washington Times • May 12, 2018

Count that a red-letter day on your calendar when first you see either this tiny, dainty sprite, or his next of kin, the golden-crowned kinglet, fluttering, twinkling about the evergreens.

From Birds Every Child Should Know by Blanchan, Neltje