n. A natural family of birds of the finch group having short conical bills adapted for eating seeds, including finches, goldfinches, bullfinches, chaffinches, siskins, canaries, cardinals, grosbeaks, crossbills, linnets, and buntings. This family at one time included the sparrows of the family Emberizinae, but has more recently been restricted in usage.
Syn. -- family Fringillidae. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]