little owl

American  

Also owlet

noun

1. a small, European owl, Athene noctua, often portrayed in art with the goddess Athena.

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little owl British  

noun

1. a small Old World owl, Athene noctua, having a speckled brown plumage and flattish head

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Etymology

Origin of little owl

First recorded in 1550–60

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

little owl

This delightful Christmas tale is the true story of a little owl dubbed Rockefeller.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 9, 2021

Best animal appearances The little owl with an unusually mobile neck in A Lullaby for the Sorrowful Mystery.

From The Guardian ● Feb. 21, 2016

Don’t let its cuteness fool you: the little owl from this viral video is actually a fearsome, rodent-eating predator.

From National Geographic ● Jul. 27, 2015

In the same category, patience was the key to this highly commended image of little owl chicks titled 'The three Stooges'.

From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2013

And even then, in the quiet darkness inside the caravan, the pretty bird chuckled and twittered and trilled, and, once, it even hooted like a little owl.

From "Stardust" by Neil Gaiman

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