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

Kesh, Kesha, Kesia, Kesselring, Kesteven, kestrel, Keswick, Ket, keta, ketamine, ketch

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use kestrel in a sentence

Of the migratory birds of prey the kestrel is perhaps the first to arrive; the osprey and the peregrine falcon are among the last.
A Bird Calendar for Northern India|Douglas Dewar
A kestrel patrolled the fields for breakfast, and a hare lilted back to her form.
Lives of the Fur Folk|M. D. Haviland
Independently of its smaller size, it may be distinguished from the Common Kestrel by the whiteness of its claws.
Bible Animals;|J. G. Wood
A kestrel hovering above the Marsh is a common sight, and lapwings at certain times of the year are frequent visitors.
Birds in London|W. H. Hudson

At such times it has the appearance of a delicately coloured miniature kestrel or hobby.
Birds and Man|W. H. Hudson

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 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012