hoot owl

American

noun

any of various owls that hoot.

hoot owl British

noun

any owl that utters a hooting cry, as distinct from a screech owl

"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 hoot owl

An Americanism dating back to 1880–85

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.

Beyond hoot owl limits, those who fish have been asked to rapidly land their catch and carefully and quickly release them, to minimize the stress of handling and reduce the potential for killing them.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 23, 2021

The barred owl is also known as the hoot owl.

From Reuters • Dec. 30, 2015

I would no sooner "save the hoot owl" with my family than I would "collect thunder eggs."

From Time Magazine Archive

The sentry yawned, started at the sound of a hoot owl, relaxed and rubbed his eyes.

From Time Magazine Archive

Because not even a hoot owl can kill a skunk without getting sprayed with his scent.

From "Old Yeller" by Fred Gipson

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