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

Example Sentences

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

From Salon • Apr. 29, 2025

This year it dropped from third to fourth place behind the tree sparrow, the blue tit and the wood pigeon.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2025

Fish and Wildlife Service celebrated delisting the San Clemente Bell’s sparrow and four plant species — the largest group delisting from population recovery in the 50-year history of the Endangered Species Act.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 4, 2024

"After chasing dozens of them, the real winners were from birds," Collins said, including the zebra finch and the white-throated sparrow.

From Science Daily • Feb. 20, 2024

We sit on the log bench and he fills my palm with seed, and even though it is only for the briefest moment, a sparrow lands and flies away with a beak full.

From "The Adoration of Jenna Fox" by Mary E. Pearson