a N European finch, Acanthis flavirostris, with a brown streaked plumage
Word origin
C16: imitative of its cry
twite in American English
(twait)
noun
a small finch, Carduelis flavirostris, of northern Europe, having streaked brown plumage and, in the male, a pink breast
Word origin
[1555–65; imit.]This word is first recorded in the period 1555–65. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: chorus, clearance, diabetes, incompatible, social