passerine

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

/ ˈpæs ər ɪn, -əˌraɪn, -əˌrin /

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.

Nearby words

passepied, passer, passer-by, passerby, passeriform, passerine, passible, passifloraceous, passim, passing, passing bell

Origin of passerine

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

Related forms

non·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

Turdus, tur′dus, n. a genus of Passerine birds of the Turdid family, the thrushes.
Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 4 of 4: S-Z and supplements)|Various
Finch, finsh, n. a name applied to many Passerine birds, esp.
Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 2 of 4: E-M)|Various
Most ornithologists agree that some of the passerine families of current classifications are artificial groups.
Myology and Serology of the Avian Family Fringillidae|William B. Stallcup
On Karindingen Island this was the only passerine bird seen.
Birds from North Borneo|Max C. Thompson

Passerine birds, now generally called Insessores, or Perching-birds.
Everyday Objects|W. H. Davenport Adams

British Dictionary definitions for passerine

passerine

/ (ˈpæsəˌraɪn, -ˌriːn) /

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

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.