hummingbird

noun

hum·​ming·​bird ˈhə-miŋ-ˌbərd How to pronounce hummingbird (audio)
: 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

Illustration of hummingbird

Examples of hummingbird in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web From tiny hummingbirds to colossal humpback whales, the wildlife of the Caribbean serves as a major draw for tourism, with no shortage of idyllic islands and verdant peninsulas harboring a truly impressive amount of biodiversity. Jared Ranahan, Forbes, 12 Feb. 2024 The fun part is now to sit back and enjoy the gentle breeze while watching the honeybees, butterflies and hummingbirds have their feast in my garden. Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Feb. 2024 Eastern monarch butterflies are famous for traveling 2500 miles from their nesting grounds in Canada all the way to Mexico, like hummingbirds. Sofia Quaglia, Discover Magazine, 6 Dec. 2023 Lopez also pays tribute to Singin' In the Rain with a climactic dance number featuring her, a hummingbird, and an umbrella in the stormy streets of New York City. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 16 Feb. 2024 But lo and behold, at the bus stop, Lopez spots a beautiful hummingbird in the rain. Anne Branigin, Washington Post, 16 Feb. 2024 Listen for the sounds of the wind, the bees buzzing, the clicking of the hummingbirds, and the chirping of the birds. Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Feb. 2024 That hummingbird, common during the breeding season, is extremely rare in the winter. Taylor Piephoff, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024 An exceptional addition to this documentary realm, Aitken’s new film is involving from start to finish, its emotional hold as powerful as the hummingbirds are fragile. Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Jan. 2024

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

Word History

First Known Use

1637, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hummingbird was in 1637

Dictionary Entries Near hummingbird

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

hummingbird

noun
hum·​ming·​bird ˈhəm-iŋ-ˌbərd How to pronounce hummingbird (audio)
: 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

More from Merriam-Webster on hummingbird

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