chiffchaff

English
A chiffchaff.

Alternative forms
  • chiff-chaff

Etymology

Echoic of the repetitive "chiff-chaff" song of the European species, Phylloscopus collybita.

Audio(file)

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /ˈt͡ʃɪf.t͡ʃæf/
  • Audio (US)(file)

Noun

chiffchaff (plural chiffchaffs)

  1. A small, common warbler, Phylloscopus collybita, with yellowish-green plumage that breeds throughout northern and temperate Europe and Asia.
  2. Any of several other species of the same genus.
  3. (Britain, onomatopoeic, uncountable) The song of the chiffchaff.
    I thought I heard something singing chiffchaff, chiffchaff. So I had a look and there was a chiffchaff.

Derived terms

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Further reading
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