hummingbird

American

[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 humming sound: noted for their ability to hover and to fly upward, downward, and backward in a horizontal position.

hummingbird British

/ 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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of hummingbird

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

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Usually a hummingbird of a woman with fidgety hands and a nervous smile, she seemed dulled somehow.

From Literature

The kid from Spain plays outrageous, complete tennis, has kept himself healthy despite darting around the court like a caffeinated hummingbird, and has only one true rival on tour.

From The Wall Street Journal

Christopher looked hesitantly at the jaculus: it would be like attempting to commute on the back of a hummingbird.

From Literature

Even if we’ll never get to see one, the pleasure of looking for the littlest hummingbird in the world is fun enough.

From Literature

He was pale and jumpy, his hands fluttering here and there like two hummingbirds.

From Literature

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023