hummingbird

noun

hum·​ming·​bird ˈhə-miŋ-ˌbərd 

: 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

Examples of hummingbird in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Salvia Pollinators love salvia, so keeping the blooms going all season will keep the bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies coming back to your yard. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 30 June 2026

The grounds run wild with deer, fox, hawks, hummingbirds, and the occasional brown bear. — Angela Tafoya, Vogue, 29 June 2026

Then a glass hummingbird—Anadol told me that the figure came to him in a dream, and was interpreted by a Yawanawá chief as sacred—leads us through a valley, following a stream that flows beneath our feet. — Max Norman, New Yorker, 25 June 2026

The color yellow attracts yellow jackets and other pollinating insects, so the all-red design increases your chances of attracting hummingbirds and discourages bees and wasps from staking claim over the sweet nectar. — Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1637, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing hummingbird

• ruby-throated hummingbird

Rhymes for hummingbird

• afterword
• firebird
• ladybird
• mockingbird
• overheard
• thunderbird
• undergird
• undeterred
• absurd
• averred
• bluebird
• byword

Kids Definition

hummingbird

noun

hum·​ming·​bird ˈhəm-iŋ-ˌbərd 

: 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