hummingbird

noun

hum·​ming·​bird ˈhə-miŋ-ˌbərd 

: any of a family (Trochilidae) of tiny brightly colored nonpasserine American birds related to the swifts that have a very slender bill and an extensible tongue for sipping nectar and that usually hover rather than perch when feeding

Illustration of hummingbird

Examples of hummingbird in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In his memoir Spare, published in 2023, Prince Harry speculated if there was a spiritual significance to finding a hummingbird in the house following the death of his grandmother Queen Elizabeth in September 2022. —Janine Henni, People.com, 12 May 2025

Bee Balm Also known as Monarda, these bright pink blooms also produce a good amount of nectar, along with aromatic foliage, attracting hummingbirds and warblers, as well as insects like bees and butterflies. —Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Apr. 2025

Here’s when to see a hummingbird up close Spring is here! —Bestreviews, Mercury News, 30 Apr. 2025

Arturo Suarez Trejo, a Venezuelan singer, has a hummingbird inked on his neck, his brother Nelson told CNN. —David Culver, CNN Money, 14 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1637, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing hummingbird

• ruby-throated hummingbird

Rhymes for hummingbird

• afterword
• firebird
• ladybird
• mockingbird
• overheard
• thunderbird
• undergird
• undeterred
• absurd
• averred
• bluebird
• byword

Kids Definition

hummingbird

noun

hum·​ming·​bird ˈhəm-iŋ-ˌbərd 

: any of numerous tiny brightly colored American birds related to the swifts and having narrow swiftly beating wings, a slender bill, and a long tongue for sipping nectar