passerine

[pas-er-in, -uh-rahyn, -uh-reen]

adjective

of, belonging, or pertaining to the order Passeriformes, comprising more than half of all birds and typically having the feet adapted for perching.

oscine(def 1).

noun

any bird of the order Passeriformes.

Origin of passerine

1770–80; < Latin passerīnus of a sparrow, equivalent to passer sparrow + -īnus -ine¹

Related formsnon·pas·ser·ine, adjective, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for passerine

Historical Examples of passerine

Perhaps it may be best to clear off the few Passerine species first.
Among the Birds in Northern Shires
Charles Dixon
The Buntings (Emberizid) are intimately associated with the Passerine birds.
Reptiles and Birds
Louis Figuier
On Karindingen Island this was the only passerine bird seen.
Birds from North Borneo
Max C. Thompson
The famous black drongo or king-crow (Dicrurus ater) is the type of this well-marked family of passerine birds.
Birds of the Indian Hills
Douglas Dewar
Passerine birds typically sing at a high rate throughout courtship and nestbuilding, but at a markedly lower rate thereafter.
Natural History of the Bell Vireo, Vireo bellii Audubon
Jon C. Barlow

British Dictionary definitions for passerine

passerine

adjective

of, relating to, or belonging to the Passeriformes, an order of birds characterized by the perching habit: includes the larks, finches, crows, thrushes, starlings, etc

noun

any bird belonging to the order Passeriformes

Word Origin for passerine

C18: from Latin passer sparrow

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 passerine

adj.

1776, from Latin passerinus "of a sparrow," from passer "sparrow," possibly of imitative origin. The noun is 1842, from the adjective.

Science definitions for passerine

passerine

[păs′ə-rīn′]

Belonging to the avian order Passeriformes, which includes the perching birds. Passerine birds make up more than half of all living birds. They are of small to medium size, have three toes pointing forward and one pointing back, and are often brightly colored. Larks, swallows, jays, crows, wrens, thrushes, cardinals, finches, sparrows, and blackbirds are all passerine birds.