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kestrel
[ kes-truhl ]
/ ˈkɛs trəl /
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noun
a common small falcon, Falco tinnunculus, of northern parts of the Eastern Hemisphere, notable for hovering in the air with its head to the wind.
any of several related small falcons, as the American kestrel, F. sparverius.
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Origin of kestrel
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English castrell, ultimately from Middle French quercerelle, variant of crecerelle; further origin uncertain
Words nearby kestrel
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use kestrel in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for kestrel
kestrel
/ (ˈkɛstrəl) /
noun
any of several small falcons, esp the European Falco tinnunculus, that tend to hover against the wind and feed on small mammals on the ground
Word Origin for kestrel
C15: changed from Old French cresserele, from cressele rattle, from Vulgar Latin crepicella (unattested), from Latin crepitāre to crackle, from crepāre to rustle
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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