accipiter

noun

ac·​cip·​i·​ter ak-ˈsi-pə-tər 

ik-

: any of a genus (Accipiter) of medium-sized forest-inhabiting hawks that have short broad wings and a long tail and a characteristic flight pattern of several quick flaps and a glide

accipitrine

ak-ˈsi-pə-ˌtrīn 

ik-

adjective or noun

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin, going back to Latin, "hawk, falcon," altered (probably by assimilation to accipere "to grasp, take, accept") from pre-Latin *acu-petri- "having swift wings," from *acu- (akin to Latin ōcior "swifter," Greek ōkýs "swift") + *petri- (akin to Sanskrit patram "wing, feather") — more at feather entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

accipiter

noun

ac·​cip·​i·​ter ak-ˈsip-ət-ər 

: any of various low-flying hawks that have short wings and long tails