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 hummingbirds are one of the few subjects that, briefly, softens him. —Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2025

The mural featured marigold flowers, which are significant in Mexican culture and tied to the Day of the Dead, and hummingbirds, which are an Aztec symbol that honors fallen warriors, Pérez said. —Alyssa N. Salcedo, jsonline.com, 15 Oct. 2025

And migrant hummingbirds sometimes come through looking for food in late fall or early winter. —Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 15 Oct. 2025

The Desert Wildflower Trail holds Arizona's vibrant flowers along with the bees, butterflies and hummingbirds that allow these flowers to thrive. —Paige Moore, AZCentral.com, 10 Oct. 2025

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