finch

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See also: Finch

English[edit]

A finch, Fringilla coelebs

Etymology[edit]

From Middle English fynch, from Old English finċ, from Proto-Germanic *finkiz (compare Dutch vink, German Fink), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)pingos (chaffinch). Compare Welsh pinc (finch), Ancient Greek σπίγγος (spíngos, chaffinch), Russian пе́нка (pénka, wren), Sanskrit फिङ्गक (phiṅgaka, drongo, shrike).

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /fɪnt͡ʃ/
  • (file)
  • (file)
  • Rhymes: -ɪntʃ

Noun[edit]

finch (plural finches)

  1. Any Eurasian goldfinch (of species Carduelis carduelis, syn. Fringilla carduelis).
  2. Any bird of the family Fringillidae, seed-eating passerine birds, native chiefly to the Northern Hemisphere and usually having a conical beak.
  3. Any bird of other families of similar appearance to members of family Fringillidae.

Derived terms[edit]

Translations[edit]

See also[edit]

Verb[edit]

finch (third-person singular simple present finches, present participle finching, simple past and past participle finched)

  1. To hunt for finches, to go finching.

References[edit]

Middle English[edit]

Noun[edit]

finch

  1. Alternative form of fynch