zebra finch

noun

: a small Australian waxbill (Taeniopygia guttata synonym Poephila guttata) that is chiefly gray above and white below with a red or orange bill, a black-and-white barred tail, and in the male a black-barred throat and that is often kept as a cage bird

Examples of zebra finch in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
The organization is backed by entities like Linkedin cofounder Reid Hoffman and the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation and is building a model that analyzes patterns in vocalizations of animals like beluga, crows and zebra finches. Rashi Shrivastava, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024 They’ve also been involved in mapping parts of the brains of the zebra finch (a small bird) and zebrafish larvae. Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 May 2024 The researchers couldn’t hear a difference between the males’ songs before and after the break—but female zebra finches definitely could. Olivia Ferrari, Scientific American, 12 Dec. 2023 Two songbirds studied, zebra finches and canaries, are domesticated. Jocelyn Solis-Moreira, Popular Science, 14 Sep. 2023 See all Example Sentences for zebra finch 

Word History

First Known Use

1868, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of zebra finch was in 1868

Dictionary Entries Near zebra finch

Cite this Entry

“Zebra finch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zebra%20finch. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on zebra finch

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!