Tit"mouse` (?), n.; pl. Titmice (#). [OE. titemose, titmase; tit small, or a small bird + AS. mase 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.] Zool.

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 ceruleus), the marsh titmouse (P. palustris), the crested titmouse (P. cristatus), the great titmouse (P. major), and the long tailed titmouse (Aegithalos caudatus), are the best-known European species. See Chickadee.

 

© Webster 1913.

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