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Webster 1913 Edition

Sparrow

Spar′row

,
Noun.
[OE.
sparwe
, AS.
spearwa
; akin to OHG.
sparo
, G.
sper
ling, Icel.
spörr
, Dan.
spurv
,
spurre
, Sw.
sparf
, Goth.
sparwa
; – originally, probably, the quiverer or flutterer, and akin to E.
spurn
. See
Spurn
, and cf.
Spavin
.]
1.
(Zool.)
One of many species of small singing birds of the family
Fringilligae
, having conical bills, and feeding chiefly on seeds. Many sparrows are called also
finches
, and
buntings
. The common sparrow, or house sparrow, of Europe (
Passer domesticus
) is noted for its familiarity, its voracity, its attachment to its young, and its fecundity. See
House sparrow
, under
House
.
☞ The following American species are well known; the
chipping sparrow
, or
chippy
, the
sage sparrow
, the
savanna sparrow
, the
song sparrow
, the
tree sparrow
, and the
white-throated sparrow
(see
Peabody bird
). See these terms under
Sage
,
Savanna
, etc.
2.
(Zool.)
Any one of several small singing birds somewhat resembling the true sparrows in form or habits, as the European hedge sparrow. See under
Hedge
.
He that doth the ravens feed,
Yea, providently caters for the
sparrow
,
Be comfort to my age!
Shakespeare
Field sparrow
,
Fox sparrow
, etc.
See under
Field
,
Fox
, etc.
–
Sparrow bill
,
a small nail; a castiron shoe nail; a sparable.
–
Sparrow hawk
.
(Zool.)
(a)
A small European hawk (
Accipiter nisus
) or any of the allied species.
(b)
A small American falcon (
Falco sparverius
).
(c)
The Australian collared sparrow hawk (
Accipiter torquatus
).
The name is applied to other small hawks, as the European kestrel and the New Zealand quail hawk.
–
Sparrow owl
(Zool.)
,
a small owl (
Glaucidium passerinum
) found both in the Old World and the New. The name is also applied to other species of small owls.
–
Sparrow spear
(Zool.)
,
the female of the reed bunting.
[Prov. Eng.]

Webster 1828 Edition

Sparrow

SPAR'ROW

,
Noun.
A small bird of the genus Fringilla and order of Passers. These birds are frequently seen about houses.

Definition 2024

Sparrow

Sparrow

See also: sparrow

English

Proper noun

Sparrow

  1. A surname​.

sparrow

sparrow

See also: Sparrow

English

A male sparrow (Passer domesticus)
A female sparrow (Passer domesticus)

Noun

sparrow ‎(plural sparrows)

  1. The house sparrow, Passer domesticus; a small bird with a short bill, and brown, white and gray feathers.
  2. A member of the family Passeridae, comprising small Old World songbirds.
  3. A member of the family Emberizidae, comprising small New World songbirds.
  4. Generically, any small, nondescript bird.
  5. (Britain, chiefly London) A quick-witted, lively person. Often used in the phrase cockney sparrow.
    • 2005, Drama Faces: Martine McCutcheon, BBC
      Professional cockney sparrow Martine has acted since childhood.
    • 1878, Ally Sloper's guide to the Paris exhibition, Charles Henry Ross, page 54:
      I take it there 's scarcely a happier fellow alive than your honest town-bred smoke-dried cockney sparrow.

Derived terms

Synonyms

Translations

Etymology

From Middle English sparwe, sparowe, from Old English spearwa ‎(“sparrow”), from Proto-Germanic *sparwô, *sparwaz ‎(“sparrow”), from Proto-Indo-European *sper(w)-, *sper(g)- ‎(“sparrow, bird”). Cognate with Dutch spreeuw ‎(“starling”), Alemannic German Spar ‎(“sparrow”), German Sperling ‎(“sparrow”), Danish spurv ‎(“sparrow”), Swedish sparv ‎(“sparrow”), Breton frao ‎(“crow”), Tocharian A spārāñ, Ancient Greek ψάρ ‎(psár, “starling”).

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