passerine Hear it!

passerine definition

pas·ser·ine (pas′ər in, -īn′)

adjective

of or pertaining to an order (Passeriformes) of small or medium-sized, chiefly perching songbirds having grasping feet with the first toe directed backward: more than half of all birds are included

Etymology: L passerinus < passer, a sparrow

noun

any such bird

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Comments
Improve this definition.
Do you have more to add? Share your linguistic knowledge or observation.
/Register to save your comments.