owl

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word owl. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word owl, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say owl in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word owl you have here. The definition of the word owl will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofowl, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
See also: OWL and Owl

English

This entry needs quotations to illustrate usage. If you come across any interesting, durably archived quotes then please add them!
A northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina)

Etymology

From Middle English oule, owle, from Old English ūle, from Proto-West Germanic *uwwilā, from Proto-Germanic *uwwalǭ (compare West Frisian ûle, Dutch uil, Danish and Norwegian ugle, German Eule), diminutive of *uwwǭ (“eagle-owl”) (compare German Uhu), of imitative origin or a variant of *ūfaz, *ūfǭ (compare Old English ūf or hūf, Swedish uv (“horned owl”), Bavarian Auf),[1] from Proto-Indo-European *up- (compare Latvian ũpis (“eagle-owl”), Czech úpět (“to wail, howl”), Avestan 𐬎𐬟𐬌𐬌𐬈𐬌𐬨𐬌 (ufiieimi, “to call out”).[2][3] A Germanic variant *uwwilǭ was the source of Old High German ūwila (German Eule).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /aʊ(ə)l/
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Rhymes: -aʊl, -aʊəl

Noun

owl (plural owls)

  2. Any of various birds of prey of the order Strigiformes that are primarily nocturnal and have forward-looking, binocular vision, limited eye movement, and good hearing.
  3. (by extension) A person seen as having owl-like characteristics, especially appearing wise or serious, or being nocturnally active.
    Antonym: lark
  4. An owl pigeon.
  5. (politics, uncommon) A politician with moderate views that are neither hawkish nor dovish.
  6. Any of various nymphalid butterflies, especially in the genus Caligo, having large eyespots on the wings.

Derived terms

Translations

See also

References

  1. ^ Marlies Philippa et al, eds., Etymologisch Woordenboek van het Nederlands, A-Z, s.v. “uil” (Amsterdam UP, 3 Dec. 2009).
  2. ^ Derksen, Rick (2008) “*vъpiti”, in Etymological Dictionary of the Slavic Inherited Lexicon (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 4), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 532
  3. ^ Vladimir Orel, A Handbook of Germanic Etymology, s.vv. “*uwwalōn”, “*uwwǭ”, “*ūfaz ~ *ūfǭ” (Leiden: Brill, 2003), 436.

Further reading

Verb

owl (third-person singular simple present owls, present participle owling, simple past and past participle owled)

  1. (archaic, intransitive) To smuggle contraband goods.

Anagrams

Wikious
Boobota
Sagapedia