goldfinch
noun
gold·finch
ˈgōl(d)-ˌfinch
: any of several small, active, often bright-colored finches (genera Spinus and Carduelis of the family Fringillidae) with yellow in their plumage: such as
a
: a small finch (Spinus tristis) native to North America that in the breeding plumage of the male is yellow with a white rump and black markings on the wings, tail, and crown
called also American goldfinch
b
: one (Carduelis carduelis) native to Europe, western and central Asia, and northern Africa that has the front of the head and throat bright red, the nape with part of the wings and tail black, and the wings marked in bright yellow
Cite this Entry
“Goldfinch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/goldfinch. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.
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