sparrow

American  

[spar-oh] / ˈspær oʊ /

noun

1. any of numerous American finches of the family Emberizinae.

2. 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.

3. British. the house sparrow.

4. any of several other unrelated small birds.

5. Military. Sparrow, 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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sparrow British  

/ ˈspærəʊ /

noun

1. 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

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

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Other Word Forms

• sparrow-like adjective
• sparrowless adjective
• sparrowlike adjective

Etymology

Origin of sparrow

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

Explanation

A sparrow is a small brown bird. Sparrows live near humans and have a pretty, musical song. A sparrow is a different bird in the US than it is in other parts of the world. A "true sparrow" is found mainly in Europe, where it commonly nests in the eaves of buildings and in trees in cities. American sparrows got their name because they resemble true sparrows at first glance — they're both small, round, brownish birds — but they're from completely different families.

Example Sentences

The blue tit was the most common bird spotted in Surrey - bucking a national trend in a new survey which saw the house sparrow as the most frequently recorded bird across the country.

From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026

The top three birds in Kent and West Sussex were the house sparrow, blue tit and Starling, while in East Sussex they were the house sparrow, blue tit and wood pigeon.

From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026

Fish and Wildlife also allows two other invasive non-game birds — the English sparrow and the European starling — to be killed by licensed hunters, according to the release.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 23, 2025

So I’m curious, do you still have sparrow beef?

From Salon • Apr. 29, 2025

The young mouse backed away as the sparrow released the door.

From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques