owlish

American

[ou-lish] / ˈaʊ lɪʃ /

adjective

resembling or characteristic of an owl.

His thick glasses give him an owlish appearance.

owlish British

/ ˈaʊlɪʃ /

adjective

like an owl
solemn and wise in appearance

"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

Other Word Forms

owlishly adjective
owlishness noun

Etymology

Origin of owlish

First recorded in 1605–15; owl + -ish ¹

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.

A 1972 shot sees two couples on a bird-watching expedition with binoculars held to their eyes, appearing owlish themselves.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026

For many, the owlish but hard-driving Socialist and Catholic was simply “Mr. Europe.”

From Seattle Times • Dec. 27, 2023

Short and thick-bodied, dressed in a bespoke suit and round, owlish glasses, Leo looked like a character from an Agatha Christie mystery.

From Salon • Oct. 12, 2023

During one barrage, Mr. Filatov, 34, ducked into a bomb shelter, still wearing his owlish glasses.

From New York Times • Nov. 18, 2022

He lay for a moment, blinking in owlish incomprehension at the light; then suddenly remembered—everything.

From "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley

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