falcon

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fal·con

(făl′kən, fôl′-, fô′kən)

a. Any of various birds of prey of the family Falconidae and especially of the genus Falco, having a short, curved beak and long, pointed, powerful wings adapted for swift flight.

b. Any of several birds of these or related species, such as hawks, trained to hunt small game.

c. A female bird of this type used in falconry.

2. A small cannon in use from the 15th to the 17th century.

[Middle English, from Old French faucon, falcun, from Late Latin falcō, falcōn-; see pel- in Indo-European roots.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

falcon

(ˈfɔːlkən; ˈfɔːkən)

1. (Animals) any diurnal bird of prey of the family Falconidae, esp any of the genus Falco (gyrfalcon, peregrine falcon, etc), typically having pointed wings and a long tail

2. (Falconry)

a. any of these or related birds, trained to hunt small game

b. the female of such a bird. Compare tercelfalconine

3. (Firearms, Gunnery, Ordnance & Artillery) a light-medium cannon used from the 15th to 17th centuries

[C13: from Old French faucon, from Late Latin falcō hawk, probably of Germanic origin; perhaps related to Latin falx sickle]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

fal•con

(ˈfɔl kən, ˈfæl-, ˈfɔ kən)

n.

1. any of various birds of prey of the family Falconidae, having long pointed wings and capable of swift, agile flight.

2. Falconry.

a. the female gyrfalcon.

b. the female peregrine falcon.

Compare tercel.

3. any bird of prey trained for use in falconry.

4. a small cannon in use from the 15th to the 17th centuries.

[1200–50; Middle English fauco(u)n, falcon < Anglo-French, Old French faucon < Late Latin falcōnem]

fal•co•nine (ˈfɔl kəˌnaɪn, -nɪn, ˈfæl-, ˈfɔ kə-) adj.

fal′co•noid`, adj.

fal·con

(făl′kən, fôl′kən)

Any of various birds of prey having a short curved beak, sharp claws, and long pointed wings. Falcons often eat other birds and are usually smaller than hawks.

The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Noun	1.	falcon - diurnal birds of prey having long pointed powerful wings adapted for swift flight hawk - diurnal bird of prey typically having short rounded wings and a long tail Falconidae, family Falconidae - a family of birds of the order Falconiformes Falco peregrinus, peregrine, peregrine falcon - a widely distributed falcon formerly used in falconry Falco rusticolus, gerfalcon, gyrfalcon - large and rare Arctic falcon having white and dark color phases Falco tinnunculus, kestrel - small Old World falcon that hovers in the air against a wind American kestrel, Falco sparverius, kestrel, sparrow hawk - small North American falcon Falco columbarius, pigeon hawk, merlin - small falcon of Europe and America having dark plumage with black-barred tail; used in falconry Falco subbuteo, hobby - small Old World falcon formerly trained and flown at small birds caracara - any of various long-legged carrion-eating hawks of South America and Central America
Verb	1.	falcon - hunt with falcons; "The tribes like to falcon in the desert" hunt, hunt down, track down, run - pursue for food or sport (as of wild animals); "Goering often hunted wild boars in Poland"; "The dogs are running deer"; "The Duke hunted in these woods"

falcon

noun

Related words
adjective falconine
male tercel or tiercel
young eyas

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

Translations

باز، صَقْرصقر

сокол

sokol

falk

Falke

γεράκι

falko

halcón

pistrik

شاهین

haukka

faucon

sokol

sólyom

fálki

falco falcone

falco

sakalas

vanags

şoim

sokol

falk

doğangökdoğanşahin

猎鹰隼

falcon

[ˈfɔːlkən] N → halcón m

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

falcon

[ˈfɔːlkən] n (= bird) → faucon m peregrine falcon

falcon

n → Falke m

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

falcon

[ˈfɔːlkən] n → falco, falcone m

falcon

(ˈfoːlkən) , ((American) ˈfal-) noun

a kind of bird of prey sometimes used for hunting.

References in classic literature ?

At the signal, a loud whirr of wings in quick flight was heard and a large Falcon came and settled itself on the window ledge.

"What do you command, my charming Fairy?" asked the Falcon, bending his beak in deep reverence (for it must be known that, after all, the Lovely Maiden with Azure Hair was none other than a very kind Fairy who had lived, for more than a thousand years, in the vicinity of the forest).

The Falcon flew away and after two minutes returned, saying, "I have done what you have commanded."

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Thou mayst, I think, succeed in taking her from her Saxon friends, but how thou wilt rescue her afterwards from the clutches of Bois-Guilbert seems considerably more doubtful He is a falcon well accustomed to pounce on a partridge, and to hold his prey fast.''

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The quality of decision is like the well-timed swoop of a falcon which enables it to strike and destroy its victim.

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"Why," said Alleyne, "a merlin is a bird of the same form as an eagle or a falcon. I can well remember that learned brother Bartholomew, who is deep in all the secrets of nature, pointed one out to me as we walked together near Vinney Ridge."

What would the gentles Sir Nicholas Boarhunte, or Sir Bernard Brocas, of Roche Court, say if they saw such a thing--or, perhaps, even the King's own Majesty himself, who often has ridden past this way, and who loves his falcons as he loves his sons?

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My dream, a bold sailor, half-ship, half-hurricane, silent as the butterfly, impatient as the falcon: how had it the patience and leisure to-day for world-weighing!

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He knew all this and therefore waited calmly for what would happen, with more patience than the horses, especially the near one, the chestnut Falcon, who was pawing the ground and champing his bit.

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As a mountain falcon, swiftest of all birds, swoops down upon some cowering dove--the dove flies before him but the falcon with a shrill scream follows close after, resolved to have her--even so did Achilles make straight for Hector with all his might, while Hector fled under the Trojan wall as fast as his limbs could take him.

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And, while speaking these words, D'Artagnan fixed his falcon eye upon Louis XIV., to catch the first feeling that would show itself.

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A leathern girdle about his waist supported a sword and a dagger and a round skull cap of the same material, to which was fastened a falcon's wing, completed his picturesque and becoming costume.