/kahr'jooh ee"lin/ , adj.
1. of or pertaining to the passerine subfamily Carduelinae, including the goldfinches, siskins, canaries and crossbills.
n.
2. any bird of the subfamily Carduelinae.
[ Carduelinae, equiv. to Carduel ( is ) genus name (L: goldfinch, deriv. of carduus thistle) + -inae -INAE ]