finch

noun \ ˈfinch \

|Updated on: 21 Jun 2018

Definition of finch

: any of numerous passerine songbirds (families Fringillidae, Estrildidae, Emberizidae, and Cardinalidae) having a short stout usually conical bill adapted for crushing seeds

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Recent Examples of finch from the Web

This medium-sized finch is a native to western North America, but today it is found throughout the United States and Hawaii.

— ernie cowan, sandiegouniontribune.com, "House finches right at home raising family here," 17 May 2018
At 490m above sea level, Cerro Mesa Reserve offers spectacular views of the largest crater on Santa Cruz Island, exotic plants, and seven unique subspecies of finch and the elusive vermilion flycatcher.

— allie almario, Town & Country, "How to Plan a Trip to the Galápagos Islands," 5 Oct. 2016
Parrots and finches live in the sunroom of the main house.

— candace taylor, WSJ, "A Connecticut Estate With Animal Menagerie Seeks $13.75 Million," 4 May 2018
The blues stroke the air and hundreds of feeders for cardinals, hummingbirds, orioles, finches, squirrels, woodpeckers and other creatures dangle from racks.

— aaron gilbreath, Longreads, "The Red Caddy," 24 Apr. 2018
The Galápagos island finches and mockingbirds gathered by Charles Darwin in 1835 during the voyage of the HMS Beagle—which had been instrumental in developing his theory of evolution through natural selection—were resting in nearby drawers.

— Outside Online, "The Curious Case of the Fly-Fishing Feather Thief," 19 Apr. 2018
Just as the Galapagos teems with unique finches and tortoises, so do the world’s Twilight Zones function as islands of the deep, churning out endemic species by virtue of their solitude.

— ben goldfarb, Smithsonian, "Illuminating the Ocean’s Teeming Twilight Zone, Before It Disappears," 14 Apr. 2018
The song training that Bengalese finches received appeared to overcome tempo tendencies baked into their genes.

— christopher intagliata, Scientific American, "Finches Can Learn to Sing Differently Than Their Genetics Dictate," 29 Dec. 2017
But Edwin hadn’t broken into the museum for a drab-colored finch.

— Outside Online, "The Curious Case of the Fly-Fishing Feather Thief," 19 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'finch.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of finch

Middle English fynche, fynch, going back to Old English fink, going back to West Germanic *finki-, *finkja-, perhaps going back to an Indo-European echoic noun base *ping-, whence also Greek pínga "nestling," and, with mobile s, Greek spíngon "siskin," Old Norse spiki "tit," Swedish spink "finch" (in regional gulspink "yellowhammer" or "great tit"), dialectal English spink "finch" (perhaps borrowed from Scandinavian)

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

in the meaning defined above

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