grosbeak

noun

gros·​beak ˈgrōs-ˌbēk How to pronounce grosbeak (audio)
: any of several finches (especially families Cardinalidae and Fringillidae) of Europe and America having large stout conical bills

Examples of grosbeak in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Grace’s warbler, Nashville warbler, Bell’s vireo, summer tanager, Western tanager, black-headed grosbeak, to name a few. Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic, 22 Sep. 2024 Replace sunflower seeds with safflower to attract grosbeaks, cardinals and chickadees. Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 9 Sep. 2024 Pine grosbeaks, mountain chickadees, golden-mantled ground squirrels and pine squirrels may also make an appearance along this portion of the trail. Estes Park Trail-Gazette, The Denver Post, 6 Aug. 2024 As the seeds mature, the flower heads remain attractive, taking on darker hues and drawing hungry songbirds to the garden, including finches, grosbeaks, and chickadees. Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 11 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for grosbeak 

Word History

Etymology

partial translation of French grosbec, from gros thick + bec beak

First Known Use

circa 1678, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of grosbeak was circa 1678

Dictionary Entries Near grosbeak

Cite this Entry

“Grosbeak.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grosbeak. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

grosbeak

noun
gros·​beak ˈgrōs-ˌbēk How to pronounce grosbeak (audio)
: any of several finches (as the rose-breasted grosbeak) of Europe or America having large stout cone-shaped bills

More from Merriam-Webster on grosbeak

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!