Meaning & use
titmice
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“titmice” is a form of “titmouse”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meaning
nounpluralbiology
Small, round-bodied songbirds with short bills, often with a crest, that visit feeders and nest in tree holes.
Grammar: Plural of titmouse. Use a plural verb: the titmice are at the feeder.
Patterns
- a flock of titmice
Several titmice were fighting over the sunflower seeds at the feeder.
Titmice stay in our woods all year round, even in winter.
The park guide showed us how to tell chickadees from titmice.
Common combinations
- a pair of titmice
- A pair of titmice nested in the old birdhouse.
- flock of titmice
- A flock of titmice moved quickly through the oak branches.
- tufted titmice
- Tufted titmice have a gray crest and a peter-peter call.
- titmice and chickadees
- Titmice and chickadees often feed in the same mixed flock.
Synonyms and how they differ
- tits
- Tits is the usual British word for the same bird family, although it sounds rude to some Americans.
- chickadees
- Chickadees are close relatives of titmice but lack the pointed crest and are usually smaller.
Word family
Commonly confused: titmice or titmouses?
titmice vs titmouses
This is not standard; the correct plural is titmice, like mouse and mice.
Practice
One titmouse landed on the feeder, then two more joined it, and soon all the ____ were gone with the seeds.
Choose one answer.
The plural of titmouse is titmice, as mouse becomes mice. The other options are not standard forms.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “titmice”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.