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

Mr and Mrs Towndrow, from Cardiff, met 30 years ago, having two children and amassing a number of pets including dogs, cats and even a sparrow.

From BBC • Jan. 22, 2025

For her, it was the common house sparrow, which she would observe before heading to her job teaching journalism at Loyola University New Orleans when it reopened in January 2006, five months after Katrina.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 6, 2024

The Bay Area has seen a 90% decline in tidal marshland since the 1800s, which has reduced Savannah sparrow populations to the level that interbreeding with immigrants is affecting their unique saltwater adaptation.

From Science Daily • Jan. 24, 2024

"You have a voice like a sparrow but a stomach like a hawk! Here's more. Glad you like it—squirrel stew is my specialty."

From "Born Behind Bars" by Padma Venkatraman