falcon-gentle

American  

[fawl-kuhn-jen-tl, fal-, faw-kuhn-] / ˈfɔl kənˈdʒɛn tl, ˈfæl-, ˈfɔ kən- /

noun

1. the female peregrine falcon.

2. any female falcon.

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falcon-gentle British  

noun

1. falconry a female falcon, esp a female peregrine falcon

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Etymology

Origin of falcon-gentle

1350–1400; translation of French faucon gentil; replacing Middle English gentil fauco ( u ) n, facon jent, etc.

Example Sentences

I am skilled in the uses of falcon-gentle, gerfalcon, saker, lanner, merlin, hobby, goshawk, sparrow-hawk, and musket—” Brilliana interrupted him with an impetuous gesture of command, and Evander made an end of his display.

From Project Gutenberg

Still further would your surprise at such a consequence have diminished if you had gone on to the falconry, and seen on the perches the goshawk and her tercel, the sparrowhawk and her musket, under the care of the ostringer; and further on the falcon-gentle, the gerfalcon, the lanner, the merlin, and the hobby, all of which were attended to by the head falconer.

From Project Gutenberg

Most rustical youth," he said, "thy fortune hath prevailed over knightly skill—and Audacity hath overcome Condescension, even as the kite hath sometimes hawked at and struck down the falcon-gentle.—Fly and save thyself!—Take my purse—it is in the nether pocket of my carnation-coloured hose—and is worth a clown's acceptance.

From Project Gutenberg