hummingbird

[ huhm-ing-burd ]
/ ˈhʌm ɪŋˌbɜrd /

noun

a very small nectar-sipping New World bird of the family Trochilidae, characterized by the brilliant, iridescent plumage of the male, a slender bill, and narrow wings, the extremely rapid beating of which produces a humming sound: noted for their ability to hover and to fly upward, downward, and backward in a horizontal position.

Origin of hummingbird

An Americanism dating back to 1625–35; humming + bird

Words nearby hummingbird

hummable, hummel, hummer, humming, humming top, hummingbird, hummingbird moth, hummock, hummus, humongous, humor

Example sentences from the Web for hummingbird

British Dictionary definitions for hummingbird

hummingbird
/ (ˈhʌmɪŋˌbɜːd) /

noun

any very small American bird of the family Trochilidae, having a brilliant iridescent plumage, long slender bill, and wings specialized for very powerful vibrating flight: order Apodiformes