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Glite Dictionary
family Passeridae

family Passeridae

8.6
A group of small birds like true sparrows found in Europe, Asia and Africa
  • noun
  • /ˈfæmɪli ˈpæsərɪdeɪ/
  • Specialized
: familia Passeridae
  • The family Passeridae includes a variety of true sparrow species found across Europe, Asia, and Africa.

Examples

  • Unlike Old World sparrows from the family Passeridae, New World sparrows belong to a different family altogether.

  • Many ornithologists study the family Passeridae to understand the evolution of small passerine birds.

  • The family Passeridae includes many species of sparrows.

  • Many birds in the family Passeridae are found in Europe.

  • The family Passeridae comprises various species of sparrows that are distinctively adapted to their habitats.

  • Birdwatchers often enjoy observing the diverse members of the family Passeridae in parks and gardens.

  • The family Passeridae is characterized by small size and sociable behavior among its true sparrow members.

Synonyms

Passeridae
vsfamily Passeridae
  • Specialized
9.9

A family of small sparrows that live mainly in Europe and Asia

gives the general group description without historical grouping detail

Surface Forms

family Passeridae singular
families Passeridae plural

Morphology

family + Passeridae

This phrase is directly compositional: 'family' (a scientific grouping) combined with the taxonomic name 'Passeridae' yields the family of true sparrows. Taxonomic noun phrases follow the same logical pattern across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can readily infer the intended meaning.

Etymology

Family Passeridae comes from the Latin word Passer, meaning 'sparrow', plus the family ending -idae that shows a group of related animals. So the name literally means 'the sparrow family', which is why it is used for the true sparrows found in Europe, Asia and Africa.