TITMOUSE

titmouse. Titmouse, n. a genuse of small birds

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Tit″mouse′ (?), n.; pl. Titmice (#). [[OE. titemose, titmase; tit small, or a small bird + AS. māse a kind of small bird; akin to D. mees a titmouse, G. meise, OHG. meisa, Icel. meisingr. The English form has been influenced by the unrelated word mouse. Cf. Tit a small bird.]] (Zoöl.) Any one of numerous species of small insectivorous singing birds belonging to Parus and allied genera; — called also tit, and tomtit. ☞ The blue titmouse (Parus cœruleus), the marsh titmouse (P. palustris), the crested titmouse (P. cristatus), the great titmouse (P. major), and the long tailed titmouse (Ægithalos caudatus), are the best-known European species. See Chickadee.