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bushtit

bushtit

9.9
A very small active songbird with grey feathers that lives in bushes often in groups
  • noun
  • /ˈbʌʃtɪt/
  • US
translation icon : pájaro tit
  • A small flock of bushtits chirped cheerfully as they foraged for insects.

Examples

  • While birdwatching, we spotted a bushtit flitting through the branches.

  • That bushtit vaccine may as well be water.

  • The bushtit is known for its lively behavior and soft gray feathers.

Synonyms

bush tit
vsbushtit
  • US
9.9

A small active grey bird from western North America that builds hanging nests

is very small in size rather than merely small
Psaltriparus
vsbushtit
  • Specialized
9.9

A group of small songbirds that includes the American bushtit

is the single small species rather than the broader genus grouping

Surface Forms

bushtit singular
bushtits plural

Morphology

bushtit = bush + tit (transparent) = bush + tit

The name is a straightforward compound 'bush' + 'tit' meaning a small tit-like bird associated with bushes; the components directly indicate the referent.

Etymology

The word bushtit comes from bush ('bush') and tit ('small bird'), so it names a tiny, active bird that lives and moves in the bushes.