aquiline
Americanadjective
-
(of the nose) shaped like an eagle's beak; hooked.
-
of or like the eagle.
adjective
-
(of a nose) having the curved or hooked shape of an eagle's beak
-
of or resembling an eagle
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of aquiline
First recorded in 1640–50; from French or directly from Latin aquilīnus, derivative of aquila “eagle;” see origin at eagle, -ine 1
Explanation
Aquiline means like an eagle, so if someone tells you you have an aquiline nose, it means your nose looks like an eagle’s beak. Believe it or not, this is a compliment. Aquiline comes from the Latin word aquila, for eagle. The ancient Greeks and Romans were crazy about eagles, and thought that if you saw an eagle flying on a significant day, like a battle, it was a sign that you were going to win. So it was a big compliment to say someone’s features were aquiline. It almost always refers to a long, curving nose. We also call it a "Roman nose."
Vocabulary lists containing aquiline
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
A Lexical Zoo of Animal Adjectives
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
More Animal Adjectives
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Aquiline, which invests in financial services companies, declined to comment.
From Reuters • Jul. 26, 2021
Aquiline, founded in 2005 by Chairman and Chief Executive Jeff Greenberg, also plans to give all staff a second week off at the end of August, the sources added.
From Reuters • Jul. 26, 2021
Despite the authors’ aristocratic airs and Mid-Atlantic inflections, Buckley hissed through his drawl as Vidal thumbed his Aquiline nose at him.
From Salon • May 31, 2015
GMO head Aquiline Niwemfura said poverty was probably the main reason for the high levels of abuse.
From BBC • May 9, 2013
He had begun by installing Aquiline is a modest fourth-floor dwelling, the furniture being of the simplest kind.
From Melmoth Reconciled by Marriage, Ellen
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
