sparrow

[ spar-oh ]

/ ˈspær oʊ /

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noun

any of numerous American finches of the family Emberizinae.Compare chipping sparrow, song sparrow.

any member of the Old World genus Passer, formerly thought to be closely related to the weaverbirds but now placed in their own family, Passeridae.

British. the house sparrow.

any of several other unrelated small birds.Compare Java sparrow, hedge sparrow.

(initial capital letter)Military. a 12-foot (4-meter), all-weather, radar-guided U.S. air-to-air missile with an 88-pound (40-kilogram) high-explosive warhead.

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Origin of sparrow

First recorded before 900; Middle English sparowe, Old English spearwa; cognate with Gothic sparwa, Old Norse spǫrr

OTHER WORDS FROM sparrow

spar·row·less, adjectivespar·row·like, adjective

Words nearby sparrow

spark transmitter, sparky, sparling, sparoid, sparring partner, sparrow, sparrowfart, sparrowgrass, sparrow hawk, sparry, sparse

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

How to use sparrow in a sentence

The fan of feathers at the base of its tail would have resembled those typically observed in present-day birds such as pigeons or sparrows.
This 120-million-year-old bird may have been one of the first to shake its tail feathers|Kate Baggaley|September 17, 2021|Popular-Science
In the new study, Rogalla and colleagues turned to sunbirds, nectar-feeding birds typically smaller than sparrows that are native to Africa, Asia and Australia.
Sunbirds’ dazzling feathers are hot, in both senses of the word|Jake Buehler|August 17, 2021|Science News
Out my window, the sparrows were chirping excitedly, not ready to call it a day.
An Existential Crisis in Neuroscience - Issue 94: Evolving|Grigori Guitchounts|December 30, 2020|Nautilus
Without all the background sound, common sparrows in San Francisco changed their tunes to have a broader vocal range and softer notes.
2020 isn’t all bad. Here are 13 science stories to be thankful for.|Rachel Feltman, Sara Chodosh|November 26, 2020|Popular-Science

“No eyes are on the sparrow, eyes are on the sparrow / He is singing anyway.”
Is Bigger Better for St. Vincent?|David Yaffe|December 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Before she finished I began to paint, and she resumed the pose, smiling and chattering like a sparrow.
Read ‘The King in Yellow,’ the ‘True Detective’ Reference That’s the Key to the Show|Robert W. Chambers|February 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
A man “in traditional Alpine costume” addresses a group of children while holding a sparrow.
The Kaffeehaus Canon|George Prochnik|December 31, 2010|DAILY BEAST
I can hear her now warbling her own rendition of "His Eye Is on the Sparrow."
Dame Edna Mouths Off|Kevin Sessums|March 17, 2010|DAILY BEAST
But she is a girl, and she does not mind her jack-sparrow being a trifle headstrong, if only he has a kind heart.
Child Life In Town And Country|Anatole France
Over near Neighbour Brown's fence they were peeping through the green leaves at the song-sparrow's nest.
Seven O'Clock Stories|Robert Gordon Anderson
A song sparrow was singing out by the road, and the thin, sweet flutings of a Peabody came from the pasture.
The Idyl of Twin Fires|Walter Prichard Eaton
A magnificent view is had from Sparrow Hill; the ascent is made by a steep and tortuous road.
Ways of War and Peace|Delia Austrian
Was the girl going away any real part of the strength and beauty of the old Sparrow place?
Growing Up|Jennie M. Drinkwater

British Dictionary definitions for sparrow

sparrow

/ (ˈspærəʊ) /

noun

any weaverbird of the genus Passer and related genera, esp the house sparrow, having a brown or grey plumage and feeding on seeds or insects

US and Canadian any of various North American finches, such as the chipping sparrow (Spizella passerina), that have a dullish streaked plumage

Other words from sparrow

Related adjective: passerine

Derived forms of sparrow

sparrow-like, adjective

Word Origin for sparrow

Old English spearwa; related to Old Norse spörr, Old High German sparo

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