Standard Lemma guide

chirrup

noun · verb · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈt͡ʃɪɹəp/
  • /ˈt͡ʃɜɹəp/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɪɹəp
  • rhymes with -ɜːɹəp

1

noun

Meaning 1

A series of chirps, clicks or clucks.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • 1845 Charles Dickens, The Cricket on the Hearth, Chirp the First, And here, if you like, the Cricket DID chime in! with a Chirrup, Chirrup, Chirrup of such magnitude, by way of chorus [...]

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A brief, high-pitched, insignificant statement.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: derogatory, figuratively

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To make a series of chirps, clicks, or clucks.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To express by chirping.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • The crickets chirruped their song.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To quicken or animate by chirping.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • to chirrup a horse

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

a series of chirps

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: twitter

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: sound

7

verb

Meaning 7

make high-pitched sounds

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the birds were chirping in the bushes

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: peep, cheep, chirp

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: utter, emit, let out, let loose

Narrower terms: chitter, twitter

History

Etymology

Variant of chirp.

Across languages

Translations

21 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • German: Geklicker — A series of chirps, clicks or clucks (of technical or other origin)
  • German: Klackern — A series of chirps, clicks or clucks (of technical or other origin)
  • German: Gepfeife — A series of chirps, clicks or clucks (of technical or other origin)
  • German: Zwitschern — A series of chirps, clicks or clucks (birds)
  • German: Gezwitscher — A series of chirps, clicks or clucks (birds)
  • German: Gezirpe — A series of chirps, clicks or clucks (insects, esp. crickets)
  • German: Geschnatter — A brief, high-pitched, insignificant statement (metaphorical)
  • German: Gegacker — A brief, high-pitched, insignificant statement (metaphorical)
  • German: Gepiepse — A brief, high-pitched, insignificant statement (metaphorical)
  • Finnish: naksuttaa — to make a series of chirps, clicks or clucks (of technical or other origin)
  • Bulgarian: цвъркам (cvǎrkam) — to make a series of chirps, clicks or clucks (birds)
  • Finnish: sirkuttaa — to make a series of chirps, clicks or clucks (birds)
  • German: zwitschern — to make a series of chirps, clicks or clucks (birds)
  • German: tschilpen — to make a series of chirps, clicks or clucks (birds)
  • Greek: κελαηδώ (kelaïdó) — to make a series of chirps, clicks or clucks (birds)
  • Māori: korotī — to make a series of chirps, clicks or clucks (birds)
  • Russian: чирикать (čirikatʹ) — to make a series of chirps, clicks or clucks (birds)
  • Russian: щебетать (ščebetatʹ) — to make a series of chirps, clicks or clucks (birds)
  • Bulgarian: цвъртя (cvǎrtja) — to make a series of chirps, clicks or clucks (insects, esp. crickets)
  • Finnish: sirittää — to make a series of chirps, clicks or clucks (insects, esp. crickets)
  • German: zirpen — to make a series of chirps, clicks or clucks (insects, esp. crickets)