chaffinch

English

Etymology
A male chaffinch

Given by the first edition of the Oxford English Dictionary chaff +‎ finch,[1] but more recently the first element has been argued to derive from the same root as Old English cǣfed 'ornamented' and cǣfing 'hair-ornament', thus meaning 'ornamented finch, colourful finch'.[2]

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /ˈt͡ʃæfɪnt͡ʃ/
  • Audio (US)(file)

Noun

chaffinch (plural chaffinches)

  1. A small passerine bird, Fringilla coelebs, of the finch family, found throughout Europe and eastward to Iran and eastern Mediterranean coastlands.

Derived terms

Translations

See also

References
  1. "chaffinch, n." OED Online, Oxford University Press, June 2022, www.oed.com/view/Entry/30176. Accessed 1 September 2022.
  2. Carole Hough, 'Cheveley and Chaff Hall: A Reconsideration of OE ceaf in Place-Names', Nottingham Medieval Studies, 43 (1999), 21–32; DOI: 10.1484/j.nms.3.291.
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