goshawk

American

[gos-hawk] / ˈgɒsˌhɔk /

noun

any of several powerful, short-winged hawks, as Accipiter gentilis, of Europe and America, formerly much used in falconry.

goshawk British

/ ˈɡɒsˌhɔːk /

noun

a large hawk, Accipiter gentilis, of Europe, Asia, and North America, having a bluish-grey back and wings and paler underparts: used in falconry

"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

Etymology

Origin of goshawk

before 1000; Middle English goshauk, Old English gōshafoc. See goose, hawk ¹

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.

See Examples For:

goshawk

One case involved a buzzard, the other a goshawk.

From BBC ● May 25, 2026

The talismanic vocabulary of falconry is threaded through this raw-nerved memoir by an experienced British falconer who dealt with the pain of losing a father by training a young goshawk called Mabel.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 23, 2026

“To feel that alive, chasing a goshawk as it’s hunting, you’re part of this extraordinary experience, which feels spiritual and meaningful,” Foy explains.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 12, 2025

Macdonald said seeing her memoir and her goshawk Mabel come to life for cinema audiences had left her "blown away".

From Barron's ● Oct. 13, 2025

Near the nest the male goshawk struck Alice’s backpack a powerful blow, nearly knocking her out of the tree.

From "Frightful's Mountain" by Jean Craighead George

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023