— sparrowless , adj. — sparrowlike , adj.
/spar"oh/ , n.
1. any of numerous American finches of the family Emberizinae. Cf. chipping sparrow, song sparrow .
2. any member of the Old World genus Passer, formerly thought to be closely related to the weaverbirds but now placed in their own family, Passeridae.
3. Brit. the house sparrow.
4. any of several other unrelated small birds. Cf. Java sparrow, hedge sparrow .
5. ( cap. ) Mil. a 12-ft. (4-m), all-weather, radar-guided U.S. air-to-air missile with an 88-lb. (40-kg) high-explosive warhead.
[ bef. 900; ME sparowe, OE spearwa; c. Goth sparwa, ON sporr ]