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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Sparrow \Spar"row\, noun [OE. sparwe, AS. spearwa; akin to OHG. sparo, G. sperling, Icel. sp["o]rr, Dan. spurv, spurre, Sw. sparf, Goth. sparwa; -- originally, probably, the quiverer or flutterer, and akin to E. spurn. See {Spurn}, and cf. {Spavin}.]
1. (Zo["o]l.) One of many species of small singing birds of the family {Fringillig[ae]}, having conical bills, and feeding chiefly on seeds. Many sparrows are called also {finches}, and {buntings}. The common sparrow, or house sparrow, of Europe ({Passer domesticus}) is noted for its familiarity, its voracity, its attachment to its young, and its fecundity. See {House sparrow}, under {House}.
Note: The following American species are well known; the {chipping sparrow}, or {chippy}, the {sage sparrow}, the {savanna sparrow}, the {song sparrow}, the {tree sparrow}, and the {white-throated sparrow} (see {Peabody bird}). See these terms under {Sage}, {Savanna}, etc.
2. (Zo["o]l.) Any one of several small singing birds somewhat resembling the true sparrows in form or habits, as the European hedge sparrow. See under {Hedge}.
He that doth the ravens feed, Yea, providently caters for the sparrow, Be comfort to my age! --Shak.
{Field sparrow}, {Fox sparrow}, etc. See under {Field}, {Fox}, etc.
{Sparrow bill}, a small nail; a castiron shoe nail; a sparable.
{Sparrow hawk}. (Zo["o]l.) (a) A small European hawk ({Accipiter nisus}) or any of the allied species. (b) A small American falcon ({Falco sparverius}). (c) The Australian collared sparrow hawk ({Accipiter torquatus}).
Note: The name is applied to other small hawks, as the European kestrel and the New Zealand quail hawk.
{Sparrow owl} (Zo["o]l.), a small owl ({Glaucidium passerinum}) found both in the Old World and the New. The name is also applied to other species of small owls.
{Sparrow spear} (Zo["o]l.), the female of the reed bunting. [Prov. Eng.]
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
sparrow
noun
1: any of several small dull-colored singing birds feeding on seeds or insects [syn: {true sparrow}]
2: small brownish European songbird [syn: {hedge sparrow}, {dunnock}, {Prunella modularis}]
From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary [easton]:
Sparrow Mentioned among the offerings made by the very poor. Two sparrows were sold for a farthing (Matt. 10:29), and five for two farthings (Luke 12:6). The Hebrew word thus rendered is _tsippor_, which properly denotes the whole family of small birds which feed on grain (Lev. 14:4; Ps. 84:3; 102:7). The Greek word of the New Testament is _strouthion_ (Matt. 10:29-31), which is thus correctly rendered.
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