DictionaryAI

sparrow

noun
SaySPA-roh/ˈspæɹoʊ/UK/ˈspæɹəʊ/

Pluralsparrows

4 meanings of sparrow

Practice

  1. 1
    nouncountable
    A small brown and gray bird with a short beak, common in towns, especially the house sparrow and its close relatives.

    A little sparrow landed on the windowsill and looked at me.

    We put out seeds, and soon the sparrows came to eat.

  2. 2
    small bird generallynouncountable
    Any small, plain-looking bird, even if it is not really a sparrow.

    I don't know what kind of bird it was, just some sparrow in the bushes.

    My grandma calls every little brown bird a sparrow, even the ones that are really finches.

  3. 3
    American songbirdnouncountable
    A bird from a family of small songbirds that live in North and South America.

    A song sparrow sang from the bushes by the lake.

    In winter, many sparrows from Canada fly south to the United States.

    Note

Less common meaning

  1. 4
    noundialectalLondonUKcountable
    A person who is clever, quick to answer, and full of energy.

    The man who moved in next door is a real cockney sparrow, always chatting and making us laugh.

    Her grandfather was a real cockney sparrow, quick with a joke for everyone.

    UsagePeople usually say a cockney sparrow.

    Note

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of sparrow apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

From the Old English word spearwa, meaning "sparrow".

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 2 facts