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

The California resident kept numerous pets at her property including dogs, Max and Ruby, and six finches. —Clare Fisher, People.com, 22 Jan. 2025

First there were bluebirds, golden tanagers, and colorful finches called euphonias. —Benji Jones, Vox, 3 Jan. 2025

Winter finches stay in Indiana as others fly off to warmer climates. —Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 2 Dec. 2024

Not as good as a Bengalese finch because there are physical differences in its larynx and so forth, and even some of the brain circuitry may impose some limitations. —Janna Levin, Quanta Magazine, 21 Nov. 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

Rhymes for finch

• cinch
• flinch
• inch
• lynch
• pinch
• synch
• winch
• bullfinch
• goldfinch

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