Meaning

noun American finch whose male has yellow body plumage in summer

noun small European finch having a crimson face and yellow-and-black wings

originFrom Middle English goldfinch, goldfynch, goldefynch, from Old English goldfinċ, equivalent to gold + finch. Compare West Frisian goudfink (“goldfinch”), Dutch goudvink (“bullfinch”), German Goldfink (“goldfinch”), Danish guldfink (“goldfinch”), Icelandic gullfinka (“goldfinch”).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0