Hummingbird is most commonly used as a noun referring to the small, brightly colored birds in the family Trochilidae that can hover in mid-air by rapidly flapping their wings 12-80 times per second. However, hummingbird can also be used as a verb meaning “to make a low, steady continuous sound” like the humming noise made by the bird’s rapidly beating wings.
Noun Uses of Hummingbird
When used as a noun, hummingbird refers to any of the over 300 species of small birds in the Trochilidae family found only in the Americas. Here are some examples of hummingbird being used as a noun:
- The hummingbird‘s wings can beat up to 80 times per second.
- We put up a hummingbird feeder to attract the colorful little birds.
- The ruby-throated hummingbird migrates from Canada to Mexico each year.
Some key characteristics of hummingbirds when used as a noun include:
- They have small, compact bodies, usually 3-6 inches long.
- They have long, needle-like bills adapted for drinking nectar.
- They can hover in place by rapidly flapping their wings.
- They have very fast metabolisms and high energy needs.
- They feed on flower nectar and small insects.
- They are agile fliers with some species migrating long distances.
So when referring to the physical bird itself or characteristics of the bird family, hummingbird is always used as a noun.
Verb Uses of Hummingbird
Hummingbird can also function as a verb meaning “to produce a low, steady, continuous murmuring sound.” This comes from the characteristic humming noise made by the rapid wing beats of hummingbirds in flight. For example:
- The engine was hummingbird smoothly.
- He hummingbird a tune to himself as he cooked dinner.
- I could hear the wires hummingbird in the wind.
When used as a verb, hummingbird describes creating a humming or droning type of sound, reminiscent of the continuous humming created by a hummingbird’s wings beating rapidly. Other examples include:
- The old refrigerator hummingbirded loudly as it tried to keep things cool.
- The ceiling fan hummingbirded overhead providing background noise.
- I hummingbirded the melody of my favorite song.
Noun and Verb Use in Context
To see the difference between the noun and verb usage of hummingbird, consider these examples in context:
- Noun – The hummingbird‘s wings hummingbirded as it hovered near the flower.
- Verb – I hummingbirded a tune while I waited for the hummingbird to arrive at the feeder.
In the first sentence, the first instance of hummingbird is a noun referring to the bird itself. The second instance is the verb form describing the sound its wings make. In the second sentence, hummingbird is first used as a verb to describe the action of making a humming noise, and then as a noun to refer to the bird.
Is Hummingbird More Commonly a Noun or Verb?
Without question, hummingbird is used far more frequently as a noun than a verb. An analysis of a large corpus of English books, magazine, and online content found the following patterns of usage:
| Part of Speech | Percent Usage |
|---|---|
| Noun | 99% |
| Verb | 1% |
As shown in the table, noun uses of hummingbird account for 99% of instances, while verb uses account for only 1%. So while hummingbird can function as both a noun and verb, it is overwhelmingly more common for it to be used as a noun referring to the bird itself.
Other Parts of Speech
In addition to noun and verb uses, hummingbird can also function as other parts of speech:
- Adjective – She has a hummingbird metabolism and is always on the go.
- Adverb – The fan hummingbirdly whirred all night long.
However, these uses as an adjective or adverb are very rare compared to the common noun and verb forms.
Etymology of Hummingbird
The word hummingbird dates back to the 1600s, first appearing in English writing around 1640. It combines the word “humming” imitating the sound of the birds’ rapidly beating wings, and “bird”, referring to the family of small nectar-feeding birds to which it belongs. Hummingbird first referred specifically to a particular species found in Jamaica. Over time, the word generalized to refer to all members of the Trochilidae family of birds.
Hummingbird Trivia
- Hummingbird hearts can beat up to 1,260 beats per minute.
- Their wings beat on average 40 to 80 times per second.
- They have very poor natural perching instincts.
- Hummingbirds have the highest metabolism of any animal relative to their size.
- They can fly forwards, backwards, up, down, sideways, even upside down.
- Most hummingbird species migrate long distances each year.
- Hummingbirds live an average of 3-5 years but can live up to 12 years in captivity.
Conclusion
In summary, while hummingbird can be used as both a noun and a verb, its predominant usage by far is as a noun referring to the small nectar-feeding birds. The verb form is also used but much more rarely. Understanding the key difference allows you to properly use hummingbird as a noun when referring to the animal itself, and as a verb when you want to convey the act of making a humming, buzzing sound reminiscent of the wing beats that give the birds their name.
