noun
titmouse
TIT-mows/ˈtɪtmaʊs/
A small songbird related to chickadees.
The tufted titmouse perches on a twig with its pointed crest raised.
Etymology
The smallness expressed by tit reinforces Old English mase, already a name for this bird. Tit’s own origin is obscure; it may simply suggest something small.
In context
the tufta titmouse they are found in the eastern half of the contiguous united states
More examples
- Two titmice hop among the branches.
- A titmouse carries nesting material into a tree hole.
- We hear a titmouse whistling outside the kitchen window.
Forms
titmouse · titmice
Similar words
- songbird
- A broader term covering many birds, including titmice and chickadees.