accipiter

[ak-sip-i-ter]

noun

a hawk of the genus Accipiter, having short, rounded wings and a long tail and feeding chiefly on small mammals and birds.

Origin of accipiter

1870–75; < New Latin, Latin: hawk

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for accipiter

Historical Examples of accipiter

A Dorhawke or kind of Accipiter muscarius conceiued to haue its name from feeding upon flies & beetles.
Notes and Letters on the Natural History of Norfolk
Thomas Browne
This is a near relative of the Indian koel, which bears remarkable resemblance to an American hawk (Accipiter cooperi).
Birds of the Indian Hills
Douglas Dewar
The Cooper hawk (Accipiter cooperii) has been recorded nesting in this hickory.
The Forest Habitat of the University of Kansas Natural History Reservation
Henry S. Fitch
The Sparrow-hawk (Accipiter fringillarius of some authors) will become gentle and tame in captivity.
Reptiles and Birds
Louis Figuier
Several species of Astur and Accipiter (Bazi) feed on small songsters and mice.
The Highlands of Ethiopia
William Cornwallis Harris

British Dictionary definitions for accipiter

accipiter

noun

any hawk of the genus Accipiter, typically having short rounded wings and a long tail

Word Origin for accipiter

C19: New Latin, from Latin: hawk

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012