chickadee

noun

chick·​a·​dee ˈchi-kə-(ˌ)dē How to pronounce chickadee (audio)
: any of several small North American oscine birds (genus Poecile of the family Paridae) that are related to the titmice, usually have the crown of the head distinctly darker than the body, and have sometimes been placed especially formerly in a related genus (Parus)

Examples of chickadee in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Upon seeing an owl, a chickadee might sound a loud chick-a-dee-dee-dee, adding dees in relation to how dangerous the predator is perceived to be. Rivka Galchen, The New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2024 For this issue’s feature story about hybrid chickadees by writer Rebecca Heisman, Thorp mapped the hybrids’ shifting range. Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 17 Sep. 2024 Their small seed clusters also attract birds like the goldfinch, redpolls, chickadees, and pine siskins. Anne Readel, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Aug. 2024 The score of the worst chickadee was close to 2.5 errors. Jacek Krywko, Ars Technica, 13 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for chickadee 

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

1832, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of chickadee was in 1832

Dictionary Entries Near chickadee

Cite this Entry

“Chickadee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chickadee. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

chickadee

noun
chick·​a·​dee ˈchik-ə-(ˌ)dē How to pronounce chickadee (audio)
: any of several small North American birds with the top of the head black or brown

More from Merriam-Webster on chickadee

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