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Glite Dictionary
Spinus pinus

Spinus pinus

9.9
A small striped finch that lives in pine forests in North America
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Spinus pinus
  • The streaked plumage of Spinus pinus helps it blend into the pine forests it inhabits.

Examples

  • I spotted a Spinus pinus at the bird feeder.

  • Researchers banded several Spinus pinus to study their winter migratory patterns.

  • Many birdwatchers hope to spot a Spinus pinus among the conifers during migration season.

  • The Spinus pinus is known for its lively chirps.

  • Many birdwatchers hope to spot a Spinus pinus among the conifers during migration season.

  • The streaked plumage of the Spinus pinus helps it blend into the pine forests it inhabits.

  • Researchers banded several Spinus pinus to study their winter migratory patterns.

Synonyms

pine finch
vsSpinus pinus
  • US
9.2

A small finch that lives in pine forests and eats seeds

is the same species named by its scientific label
pine siskin
vsSpinus pinus
  • US
9.1

A small brown striped bird with some yellow on its wings that often lives near pine trees

refers to the same species but in a more general scientific way

Surface Forms

Spinus pinus singular
Spinus pinuses plural

Morphology

Spinus + Pinus

Both constituents denote concrete biological categories—Spinus (a genus of small finches) and Pinus (pines)—so the compound reads as a finch associated with pines (i.e. the pine siskin). Although it is a scientific Latin name, the meaning is transparently compositional from the given parts, so a learner who knows the constituents can infer the species association.

Etymology

Spinus pinus comes from Latin words Spinus meaning 'small finch' and pinus meaning 'pine'. That's why the name makes you picture a little finch living in pine trees, which helps you remember this bird and where it lives.