sparrow hawk

noun

a small, short-winged European hawk, Accipiter nisus, that preys on smaller birds.
American kestrel.

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Origin of sparrow hawk

late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50

Words nearby sparrow hawk

sparoid, sparring partner, sparrow, sparrowfart, sparrowgrass, sparrow hawk, sparry, sparse, Sparta, Spartacist, Spartacus
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for sparrow hawk

British Dictionary definitions for sparrow hawk (1 of 2)

sparrowhawk
/ (ˈspærəʊˌhɔːk) /

noun

any of several small hawks, esp Accipiter nisus, of Eurasia and N Africa that prey on smaller birds

British Dictionary definitions for sparrow hawk (2 of 2)

sparrow hawk

noun

a very small North American falcon, Falco sparverius, that is closely related to the kestrels
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