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Definition of dunnock

dunnock

/ˈdʌn.ək/
dun · nock
Plural:dunnocks
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dunnock Lexical Profile

dunnock Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

British A small, brownish-grey songbird native to Europe and temperate Asia, frequently found foraging quietly in gardens, scrublands, and hedgerows.

Example

"We watched a dunnock shuffling quietly under the bushes, searching the leaf litter for insects."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for dunnock

Word Nuance & Usage

Often referred to colloquially as a 'hedge sparrow,' though it belongs to the accentor family and is not closely related to true sparrows.

• Nearby Words

dunkleosteus
dunlin
dunnart
dunnock
dunns river
dunns river falls
duplex

Word Origin & Etymology

From Middle English 'dunnock', combining 'dun' (referring to its dull, brownish-grey color) and the diminutive suffix '-ock', literally meaning 'little brown one'.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Dunnock. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 17, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/dunnock
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