titmouse

[ tit-mous ]

noun

, plural tit·mice [tit, -mahys].

1. any of numerous, widely distributed, small songbirds of the family Paridae, especially of the genus Parus, having soft, thick plumage and a short, stout, conical bill.

titmouse

/ ˈtɪtˌmaʊs /

noun

1. usually plural any small active songbird of the family Paridae, esp those of the genus Parus See tit 1

Word History and Origins

Origin of titmouse¹

1275–1325; Middle English tit ( e ) mose ( tit ¹ ); mose, Old English māse titmouse; cognate with German Meise titmouse, Old Norse meis- in meisingr kind of bird; modern mouse by folk etymology

Word History and Origins

Origin of titmouse¹

C14 titemous, from tite (see tit ¹) + mouse

Example Sentences

They concluded that in agricultural areas, species of greater conservation concern, like the oak titmouse, would see worse outcomes than species of lower concern, like the house sparrow.

From Seattle Times

“I am happy when I watch a tufted titmouse, nuthatch or any other bird fly to one of my feeders and chow down on a big fat nut or seed,” wrote Donna McDowell of Gaithersburg.

From Washington Post

The show opens with John, a 50-ish scientist, saying, “Tufted titmouse.”

From Washington Post

Last spring, Dr. Pollock was participating in his university’s annual spring bird count when a tufted titmouse caught his eye.

From New York Times

In front of the lodge, more than a dozen feeders were filled with bridled titmouse, cartoonish acorn woodpeckers, thick-billed, black-headed grosbeaks and gregarious pine siskins.

From New York Times