snowy owl

American  

noun

• snowy owls
  plural

1. a diurnal, Arctic and subarctic owl, Nyctea scandiaca, having white plumage with dark brown markings.

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snowy owl British  

noun

1. a large owl, Nyctea scandiaca, of tundra regions, having a white plumage flecked with brown

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• snowy owls
  plural

Etymology

Origin of snowy owl

First recorded in 1775–85

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

snowy owl

A snowy owl that found its way to a rooftop in west Orange County has flown the coop, according to local birders who rapturously monitored the unique visitor over the last month.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 20, 2023

Snowy owl sightings: An extremely rare snowy owl has shown up in the city of Cypress in Orange County, far from the species’ usual habitat.

From New York Times ● Jan. 3, 2023

Crowds of bird-watchers have been showing up regularly in an Orange County neighborhood to gawk at a snowy owl, a species normally found around the Arctic, Canada and several northern U.S. states.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 29, 2022

Some animals, such as the snowy owl and eagle, are poised to receive new habitats in the coming years, per the master plan.

From Washington Post ● Aug. 29, 2022

The great snowy owl beckoned towards his hole with a sweeping wing.

From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques