chiffchaff

noun

chiff·​chaff ˈchif-ˌchaf How to pronounce chiffchaff (audio)
: a small grayish European warbler (Phylloscopus collybita)

Examples of chiffchaff in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Raskin has made a few-second chirp of a chiffchaff bird. —Camille Bromley, WIRED, 29 Aug. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'chiffchaff.' 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

1780, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of chiffchaff was in 1780

Dictionary Entries Near chiffchaff

chiff

chiffchaff

chiffer

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Chiffchaff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chiffchaff. Accessed 28 Sep. 2023.

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More from Merriam-Webster on chiffchaff

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about chiffchaff

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