owl

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owl

(oul)

1. Any of various often nocturnal birds of prey of the order Strigiformes, having hooked and feathered talons, a large head with a short hooked beak, large eyes set forward, and fluffy plumage that allows for almost noiseless flight.

2. Any of several breeds of domestic pigeons having a very short beak somewhat like that of an owl and often a frill of feathers on the chest.

[Middle English owle, from Old English ūle, of imitative origin.]

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.

owl

(aʊl)

1. (Animals) any nocturnal bird of prey of the order Strigiformes, having large front-facing eyes, a small hooked bill, soft feathers, and a short neck

2. (Breeds) any of various breeds of owl-like fancy domestic pigeon (esp the African owl, Chinese owl, and English owl)

3. a person who looks or behaves like an owl, esp in having a solemn manner

[Old English ūle; related to Dutch uil, Old High German ūwila, Old Norse ugla]

ˈowl-ˌlike adj

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

owl

(aʊl)

n.

1. any of numerous chiefly nocturnal birds of prey comprising the order Strigiformes, having a broad head with large, forward-directed eyes that are usu. surrounded by disks of modified feathers.

2. night owl.

3. a person of owllike solemnity or appearance.

[before 900; Middle English oule, Old English ūle, c. Middle Low German, Middle Dutch ūle, Old Norse ugla; akin to Old High German ūwila (German Eule)]

owl

(oul)

Any of various birds of prey that are usually active at night and have a large head, large forward-facing eyes, a short hooked bill, and a flat round face.

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

owl - nocturnal bird of prey with hawk-like beak and claws and large head with front-facing eyes

bird of Minerva, bird of night, hooter

bird of prey, raptor, raptorial bird - any of numerous carnivorous birds that hunt and kill other animals

order Strigiformes, Strigiformes - owls

owlet - young owl

Athene noctua, little owl - small European owl

horned owl - large owls having prominent ear tufts

great gray owl, great grey owl, Strix nebulosa - large dish-faced owl of northern North America and western Eurasia

Strix aluco, tawny owl - reddish-brown European owl having a round head with black eyes

barred owl, Strix varia - large owl of eastern North America having its breast and abdomen streaked with brown

Otus asio, screech owl - small North American owl having hornlike tufts of feathers whose call sounds like a quavering whistle

screech owl - any owl that has a screeching cry

scops owl - any of several small owls having ear tufts and a whistling call

spotted owl, Strix occidentalis - a large owl of North America found in forests from British Columbia to central Mexico; has dark brown plumage and a heavily spotted chest

hoot owl - any owl that hoots as distinct from screeching

hawk owl, Surnia ulula - grey-and-white diurnal hawk-like owl of northern parts of the northern hemisphere

Asio otus, long-eared owl - slender European owl of coniferous forests with long ear tufts

laughing owl, Sceloglaux albifacies, laughing jackass - almost extinct owl of New Zealand

barn owl, Tyto alba - mottled buff and white owl often inhabiting barns and other structures; important in rodent control

owl

noun

Related words
young owlet
collective noun parliament

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

Translations

بُومَةٌبومَه

sova

ugle

Eule Uhu

κουκουβάγια

búho lechuza

بوفجغد

pöllö

chouette hibou effraie

אוח ינשוףליליתתנשמת

उल्लू

sova

bagoly

burung hantu

ugla

civetta gufo

フクロウ

올빼미

pelėda

pūce

bufniţă

sovavýr

sova

buljinajejajejinasovaсова

ugglauv

นกเค้าแมว

baykuş

сова

con cú

猫头鹰

owl

[aʊl] N (= barn owl) → lechuza f; (= little owl) → mochuelo m; (= long-eared owl) → búho m; (= tawny owl) → cárabo 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

owl

[ˈaʊl] n → chouette f

owl

n → Eule f; wise old owl → weise Eule

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

owl

[aʊl] n (small) → civetta; (big) → gufo
little owl → civetta notturna
long-eared owl → gufo comune
short-eared owl → gufo di palude

owl

(aul) noun

a type of bird that flies at night and feeds on small birds and animals.

owl

→ بُومَةٌ sova ugle Eule κουκουβάγια búho pöllö chouette sova civetta フクロウ 올빼미 uil ugle sowa coruja сова uggla นกเค้าแมว baykuş con cú 猫头鹰

References in classic literature ?

IN the spring of the year eighteen hundred and sixty-eight there lived, in a certain county of North Britain, two venerable White Owls.

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They came to pick up an easy living among the dogs and owls, which were quite defenceless against them; took possession of their comfortable houses and ate the eggs and puppies.

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Two owls are perched near me, and are carrying on a long conversation that I enjoy as much as any warbling of nightingales.

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When other birds are still, the screech owls take up the strain, like mourning women their ancient u-lu-lu.

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It stood close to the roadside and over the door was a sign that read: "Miss Foolish Owl and Mr.

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AN OWL, accustomed to feed at night and to sleep during the day, was greatly disturbed by the noise of a Grasshopper and earnestly besought her to stop chirping.

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Suddenly there appeared before the Nome a man with the head of an owl. His body was hairy like that of an ape, and his only clothing was a scarlet scarf twisted around his waist.

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One after another the doctors came, a Crow, and Owl, and a Talking Cricket.

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They have reached the Owl Creek bridge, put it in order and built a stockade on the north bank.

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All the day long she flew about in the form of an owl, or crept about the country like a cat; but at night she always became an old woman again.

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However, he said that the sound proceeded from a very large owl, in a hollow tree; a sort of learned owl, that continually knocked its head against the branches.

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And the owl, Too-Too, who was good at arithmetic, figured it out that there was only money enough left to last another week-- if they each had one meal a day and no more.