finch

noun

ˈfinch 

: any of numerous passerine songbirds (families Fringillidae, Estrildidae, Emberizidae, and Cardinalidae) having a short stout usually conical bill adapted for crushing seeds

Examples of finch in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Meanwhile, Benenson was accused of deliberately poisoning the park’s pigeons and squirrels — an act that also reportedly led to the deaths of two mourning doves and a yellow finch. —Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 29 July 2024

House finches also live here year round and will come to feeders. —Michael Barnes, Austin American-Statesman, 7 Feb. 2024

The first three generations of change didn’t phase the finches. —Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 11 Oct. 2024

Ghosts of finches future University of Amherst biologist. —Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 11 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English fynche, fynch, going back to Old English fink, going back to West Germanic *finki-, *finkja-, perhaps going back to an Indo-European echoic noun base *ping-, whence also Greek pínga "nestling" and, with mobile s, Greek spíngon "siskin," Old Norse spiki "tit," Swedish spink "finch" (in regional gulspink "yellowhammer" or "great tit"), dialectal English spink "finch" (perhaps borrowed from Scandinavian)

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing finch

• house finch
• purple finch
• zebra finch

Kids Definition

finch

noun

ˈfinch 

: any of numerous songbirds (as the sparrows, grosbeaks, crossbills, goldfinches, and buntings) that have a short stout bill adapted for crushing seeds