pimpelmees

Second element from mees (“titmouse, chickadee”), first element uncertain. Presumably from a word describing the bird's small size (compare pimpeltje (“small glass”)). However, pimpeltje could have instead derived from pimpelmees as it is attested about a century later. Compare also southern Dutch pepel (“butterfly”) and Flemish pimpaljoentje (“ladybug”). Alternatively, possibly imitative.

• IPA^(key): /ˈpɪmpəlˌmeːs/

• Audio:

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• Hyphenation: pim‧pel‧mees

pimpelmees f (plural pimpelmezen, diminutive pimpelmeesje n)

1. blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)

• van der Sijs, Nicoline, editor (2010), “pimpelmees”, in Etymologiebank, Meertens Institute

• pimpelmees on the Dutch Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^nl