chickadee

noun

chick·​a·​dee ˈchi-kə-(ˌ)dē How to pronounce chickadee (audio)
: any of several small North American oscine birds (genus Poecile of the family Paridae) that are related to the titmice, usually have the crown of the head distinctly darker than the body, and have sometimes been placed especially formerly in a related genus (Parus)

Examples of chickadee in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Some, like American goldfinches, chickadees, woodpeckers, and bluebirds, even help your garden by eating pests and spreading seeds. — Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Aug. 2026 Black oil sunflower seeds are an easy crowd-pleaser, attracting chickadees, cardinals, finches, sparrows and nuthatches, according to Sanderfoot and Wu. — Lauren Paige Richeson, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026 Albatrosses, which mate for life, can live over 50 years; chickadees, which do not, live only two or three years in the wild. — Andrew Coletti, Popular Science, 8 July 2026 Chastain also recommends letting sunflowers and coneflowers go to seed to provide snacks for seed-eaters like finches, juncoes, cardinals, and chickadees. — The Spruce, 5 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for chickadee

Word History

Etymology

imitative

First Known Use

1832, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of chickadee was in 1832

Rhymes for chickadee

See All Rhymes for chickadee

Browse Nearby Words

chickabiddy
chickadee
Chickahominy
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Chickadee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chickadee. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

chickadee

noun
chick·​a·​dee ˈchik-ə-(ˌ)dē How to pronounce chickadee (audio)
: any of several small North American birds with the top of the head black or brown

More from Merriam-Webster on chickadee

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about chickadee

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