linnet

[ lin-it ]
/ ˈlɪn ɪt /

noun

a small Old World finch, Carduelis cannabina.
any of various related birds, as the house finch.

Origin of linnet

1520–30; earlier linet < Middle French (Walloon, Picard) linette (French linot, linotte), derivative of lin flax (cf. line1; so named for its diet of flaxseeds); see -et

Words nearby linnet

linnaean, linnaeus, linnaeus, carolus, linnean, linnean classification, linnet, linnet hole, linney, linnhe, lino, lino tile

Example sentences from the Web for linnet

British Dictionary definitions for linnet

linnet
/ (ˈlɪnɪt) /

noun

a brownish Old World finch, Acanthis cannabina : the male has a red breast and forehead
Also called: house finch a similar and related North American bird, Carpodacus mexicanus

Word Origin for linnet

C16: from Old French linotte, ultimately from Latin līnum flax (because the bird feeds on flaxseeds)