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Glite Dictionary
Passer montanus

Passer montanus

9.8
A small brown sparrow with a chestnut crown and a black cheek spot
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : gorrión arbóreo
  • The Passer montanus is easily identified by its rich chestnut crown and black cheek spot.

Examples

  • Unlike the house sparrow, the Passer montanus prefers rural woodlands and farmlands.

  • A pair of Passer montanus built their nest in the old tree behind our cottage.

  • The Passer montanus is often found in urban areas.

  • Did you see a Passer montanus in the garden?

  • A pair of Passer montanus built their nest in the old tree behind our cottage.

  • The Passer montanus is easily identified by its rich chestnut crown and black cheek spot.

  • Unlike the house sparrow, the Passer montanus prefers rural woodlands and farmlands.

Synonyms

sparrow
vsPasser montanus
38 1.0

A small brown or gray bird that sings and lives near people

is a specific Eurasian species with a chestnut crown and smaller size
tree sparrow
vsPasser montanus
  • UK
4.5

A small brown bird like a sparrow that lives near trees and farms

is the specific Eurasian species marked by a chestnut crown and smaller size

Surface Forms

Passer montanus singular
Passer montani plural

Morphology

Passer + montanus

This is a Latin binomial: 'Passer' denotes the sparrow genus and 'montanus' (Latin for 'of the mountains') would suggest a mountain-associated sparrow, so part of the meaning is compositionally inferable. However, the scientific name and the fact that the common name and distribution (Eurasian/tree sparrow) are not transparently signaled make the sense only partially predictable for a B1 learner, so it is not fully transparent.

Etymology

Passer montanus comes from Latin: Passer means 'sparrow' and montanus means 'of the mountains'. Picture a small 'mountain sparrow' with a chestnut cap and a black cheek spot sitting in a tree in the countryside, and that image helps you remember this little bird.