bunt·ing¹ / ˈbənting/ • n. 1. an Old World seed-eating songbird (Emberiza and other genera, family Emberizidae) related to the finches, typically with brown streaked plumage and a boldly marked head. 2. a small New World songbird (genera Passerina and Cyanocompsa, family Emberizidae) of the cardinal subfamily (Cardinalinae), the male of which is brightly colored.bunt·ing² • n. flags and other colorful festive decorations. ∎  a loosely woven fabric used for such decoration.

bunting Finch found almost worldwide. Males of the genus Passerina are brightly coloured, whereas the females are smaller and duller. Members of the genus Emberiza are larger and dull coloured, although the snow bunting is almost white. Family Fringillidae.

bunting2 open-made woollen stuff for flags; flags collectively. XVIII (also -ine). of unkn. orig.; perh. connected with (dial.) bunt sift, boult, as if orig. ‘boulting-cloth’.

bunting1 bird of the sub-family Emberizinae. XIII. of unkn. orig.; perh. f. a base meaning ‘short and thick’, buntin(g) being used in this sense from c. 1600.