Sparrow

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈspæɹəʊ/, /'spɛɹoÊŠ/
• Rhymes: -ærəʊ

Origin

From Middle English sparwe, sparowe, from Old English spearwa ("sparrow"), from Proto-Germanic *sparwô, *sparwaz ("sparrow"), from Proto-Indo-European *sper(w)-, *sper(g)- ("sparrow, bird"). Cognate with Dutch spreeuw ("starling"), Alemannic German Spar ("sparrow"), German Sperling ("sparrow"), Danish spurv ("sparrow"), Swedish sparv ("sparrow"), Breton frao ("crow"), Tocharian A spārāñ, Ancient Greek ψάρ (psar, "starling").

Full definition of sparrow

Noun

1. The house sparrow, Passer domesticus; a small bird with a short bill, and brown, white and gray feathers.
2. A member of the family Passeridae, comprising small Old World songbirds.
3. A member of the family Emberizidae, comprising small New World songbirds.
4. Generically, any small, nondescript bird.
5. (UK, chiefly London) A quick-witted, lively person. Often used in the phrase cockney sparrow.
• 2005, Drama Faces: Martine McCutcheon, BBCProfessional cockney sparrow Martine has acted since childhood.
• 1878, Ally Sloper's guide to the Paris exhibition, Charles Henry Ross, p. 54I take it there 's scarcely a happier fellow alive than your honest town-bred smoke-dried cockney sparrow.

Derived terms

• sparrowhawk
• house sparrow
• tree sparrow

Synonyms

• spadger
• sparra
• spuggy