finch Any of a family (Fringillidae) of small or medium-sized birds, including the sparrow, cardinal, canary, bunting, and grosbeak. They are found in most parts of the world, except for Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific islands. Most have a cone-shaped bill and feed on seeds, although some eat fruit or insects. Some British ‘finches’, such as the bullfinch and goldfinch, belong to another family, Ploceidae.

finch / finch/ • n. a seed-eating songbird that typically has a stout bill and colorful plumage. The true finches belong to the family Fringillidae (the finch family), which includes canaries and crossbills. Other finches belong to the bunting or sparrow families.

finch OE. finċ = MDu. vinke (Du. vink), OHG. finc(h)o (G. fink) :- WGmc. *fiŋk-.