falcon

[fawl-kuhn, fal-, faw-kuhn]

noun

1. any of several birds of prey of the family Falconidae, especially of the genus Falco, usually distinguished by long, pointed wings, a hooked beak with a toothlike notch on each side of the upper bill, and swift, agile flight, typically diving to seize prey: some falcon species are close to extinction.

2. Falconry.

   1. the female gyrfalcon.

   2. falcon-gentle.

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

3. a small, light cannon in use from the 15th to the 17th century.

4. Military.,  Falcon, a family of air-to-air guided missiles, some of them capable of carrying nuclear warheads.

falcon

/ ˈfɔːkən, ˈfɔːlkən /

noun

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

   2. the female of such a bird Compare tercel

3. a light-medium cannon used from the 15th to 17th centuries

Other Word Forms

• falconine adjective
• falconoid adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of falcon¹

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English fauco(u)n, falcon, from Anglo-French, Old French faucon, from Late Latin falcōn- (stem of falcō ) “hawk” (said to be derivative of falx, stem falc- “sickle,” referring to the sicklelike talons)

Word History and Origins

Origin of falcon¹

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

Example Sentences

The New Zealand falcon has been crowned the winner of the country's annual Bird of the Year competition, taking 21% of the valid votes.

Read more on BBC

His family’s move to California when he was 8 sparked his love for falcon nests and led to his passion for climbing.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Sequoia National Park is home to the world’s largest trees and iconic birds including peregrine falcons and bald eagles.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“He is a mix between a bird of prey, like a peregrine falcon, with extremely streamlined shapes — of course a feline but also a Mexican salamander called an axolotl,” Otto says.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

He was a liberal, a stoner and a lover of falcons.

Read more on Los Angeles Times