sparrow
noun
spar·row
ˈsper-(ˌ)ō 
ˈspa-(ˌ)rō
1
: any of a genus (Passer of the family Passeridae) of small chiefly brownish or grayish Old World oscine songbirds that include some which have been widely introduced
especially
: house sparrow
2
: any of numerous finches (family Passeridae) that are New World birds (such as the song sparrow or tree sparrow) resembling the Old World sparrows
Examples of sparrow in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
At the banding station, researchers regularly interact with 10 warbler species, 17 species of sparrows, nine species of flycatchers and six species of hummingbirds.
—
Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2025
A little sparrow, who comes and goes, never staying too long but always leaving a trace of light and freedom.
—Katie Bain, Billboard, 7 Apr. 2025
House sparrows prefer to be near humans, so place a birdhouse away from the house and avoid feeding smaller seeds like millet, cracked corn, and milo, which sparrows love.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 2 Apr. 2025
Poem 3 is playful: a mock-heroic eulogy for the sparrow, now dead, whom the poet blames for making his sweetheart’s eyes swollen and red—one of a very few references to Lesbia’s physical appearance.
—Daniel Mendelsohn, New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2025
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Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2025
A little sparrow, who comes and goes, never staying too long but always leaving a trace of light and freedom.
—Katie Bain, Billboard, 7 Apr. 2025
House sparrows prefer to be near humans, so place a birdhouse away from the house and avoid feeding smaller seeds like millet, cracked corn, and milo, which sparrows love.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 2 Apr. 2025
Poem 3 is playful: a mock-heroic eulogy for the sparrow, now dead, whom the poet blames for making his sweetheart’s eyes swollen and red—one of a very few references to Lesbia’s physical appearance.
—Daniel Mendelsohn, New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sparrow
Cite this Entry
“Sparrow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sparrow. Accessed 24 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sparrow
noun
spar·row
ˈspar-ō
1
: any of several small songbirds that have usually brownish or grayish feathers and are related to the finches
especially
: house sparrow
2
: any of numerous finches (as the song sparrow) that resemble the true sparrows
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