Adjacent Words

Goldfinch definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

GOLDFINCH, n. The Fringilla carduelis, a bird so named from the color of its wings.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: American finch whose male has yellow body plumage in summer [syn: New World goldfinch, goldfinch, yellowbird, Spinus tristis]
2: small European finch having a crimson face and yellow-and- black wings [syn: goldfinch, Carduelis carduelis]

Merriam Webster's

noun Date: before 12th century 1. a small Palearctic finch (Carduelis carduelis of the family Fringillidae) with a red, white, and black head and yellow and black wings 2. any of three small related American finches (genus Carduelis, especially C. tristis) having the breeding plumage of the male yellow with black markings on the wings, tail, and crown

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. any of various bright-coloured songbirds of the genus Carduelis, esp. the Eurasian C. carduelis, with a yellow band across each wing. Etymology: OE goldfinc (as GOLD, FINCH)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Goldfinch Gold"finch`, n. [AS. goldfinc. See Gold, and Finch.] (Zo["o]l.) (a) A beautiful bright-colored European finch (Carduelis elegans). The name refers to the large patch of yellow on the wings. The front of the head and throat are bright red; the nape, with part of the wings and tail, black; -- called also goldspink, goldie, fool's coat, drawbird, draw-water, thistle finch, and sweet William. (b) The yellow-hammer. (c) A small American finch (Spinus tristis); the thistle bird. Note: The name is also applied to other yellow finches, esp. to several additional American species of Spinus.

1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue

One who has commonly a purse full of gold. Goldfinches; guineas.