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

The showy flowers in a variety of colors are attractive to butterflies, hummingbirds, and other pollinators, and appear from midsummer until the first frost. — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 3 Aug. 2026

Seeing what’s hidden beneath the surface NASA, alongside the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), published an image July 21, showing what appears to be a hummingbird in mid-flight. — Drew Pittock, USA Today, 24 July 2026

In satellite data captured over Antarctica, what appears to be a beautiful, colorful hummingbird emerges from the crest of a mountaintop. — Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 23 July 2026

Its blooms attract pollinators including bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. — Alexandra Jones, The Spruce, 22 July 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