chickadee

noun

chick·​a·​dee ˈchi-kə-(ˌ)dē How to pronounce chickadee (audio)
: any of several small North American oscine birds (genus Poecile of the family Paridae) that are related to the titmice, usually have the crown of the head distinctly darker than the body, and have sometimes been placed especially formerly in a related genus (Parus)

Examples of chickadee in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web But if that chickadee is joined by a family group of nuthatches and titmice, things might get interesting. Taylor Piephoff, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024 Migrants passing through our area like to flock with chickadees and titmice. Taylor Piephoff, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024 Many birds: chickadees, cardinals, the occasional red-winged blackbird although the river was not near. Jessica Francis Kane, Harper's Magazine, 20 Nov. 2023 It’s packed with seeds that birds can’t resist—including safflower, nyjer, sunflower, red millet, and peanuts—and it’s designed to attract a variety of birds including cardinals, jays, finches, nuthatches, grosbeaks, chickadees and more. Moriah Mason, Southern Living, 31 Oct. 2023 These seed heads are a great source of food for cardinals, finches and chickadees. Chris McKeown, The Enquirer, 12 Aug. 2023 Consider the black-capped chickadee, which frequents the northern United States and southern Canada year-round. The New York Times Elaine Chen Emily Anthes, New York Times, 18 May 2023 Maine: Chickadee The chickadee is Maine's state bird. Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 25 July 2023 This type of birdhouse will attract birds such as wrens, bluebirds, chickadees, tree swallows, warblers, nuthatches, and more. Brandi Fuller, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 May 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'chickadee.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

imitative

First Known Use

1832, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of chickadee was in 1832

Dictionary Entries Near chickadee

Cite this Entry

“Chickadee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chickadee. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

chickadee

noun
chick·​a·​dee ˈchik-ə-(ˌ)dē How to pronounce chickadee (audio)
: any of several small North American birds with the top of the head black or brown

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