owl
[ oul ]
/ aʊl /
noun
any of numerous, chiefly nocturnal birds of prey, of the order Strigiformes, having a broad head with large, forward-directed eyes that are usually surrounded by disks of modified feathers: many populations are diminishing owing to loss of habitat.
one of a breed of domestic pigeons having an owllike appearance.
a person of owllike solemnity or appearance.
adjective
operating late at night or all night: an owl train.
Nearby words
owensboro, ower, owerri, owi, owing, owl, owl butterfly, owl monkey, owl's claws, owl's clover, owlet
Origin of owl
before 900; Middle English oule, Old English ūle; cognate with Low German ūle, Dutch uil; akin to German Eule, Old Norse ugla
Related forms
owl·like, adjectiveDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for owl
British Dictionary definitions for owl
owl
/ (aʊl) /
noun
any nocturnal bird of prey of the order Strigiformes, having large front-facing eyes, a small hooked bill, soft feathers, and a short neck
any of various breeds of owl-like fancy domestic pigeon (esp the African owl, Chinese owl, and English owl)
a person who looks or behaves like an owl, esp in having a solemn manner
Derived Forms
owl-like, adjectiveWord Origin for owl
Old English ūle; related to Dutch uil, Old High German ūwila, Old Norse ugla
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Idioms and Phrases with owl
owl
see night owl.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.