eagle

1 of 2

noun

ea·​gle ˈē-gəl How to pronounce eagle (audio)
1
: any of various large diurnal birds of prey (family Accipitridae) noted for their strength, size, keenness of vision, and powers of flight
2
a
: the eagle-bearing standard of the ancient Romans
b
: one of a pair of eagle-bearing silver insignia of rank worn by a military colonel or a navy captain
3
: a gold coin of the U.S. bearing an eagle on the reverse and usually having a value of ten dollars
4
: a golf score of two strokes less than par on a hole compare birdie
5
capitalized [Fraternal Order of Eagles] : a member of a major fraternal order

eagle

2 of 2

verb

eagled; eagling ˈē-g(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce eagle (audio)

transitive verb

: to score an eagle on (a golf hole)

Examples of eagle in a Sentence

Noun She made an eagle on the fourth hole. She made eagle on the fourth hole. Verb She eagled the fourth hole.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The woman’s companion managed to intervene, forcing the eagle to release its grip, after which the bird flew away. Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 18 May 2025 The highlight came on the seventh hole, when the North Carolina native drilled a 71-foot, 5-inch eagle putt to get himself back in red numbers. Jordan Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 16 May 2025
Verb
The field at the stadium in Brazil has Eagles and Packers players slipping all over the place #eagles #packers #nfl ♬ original sound - SpongeBob background music The slippery field conditions generated headlines as players expressed their displeasure with the turf. Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 20 May 2025 The 14th and 15th played 111 strokes under par in the opening round, with the field making birdie or eagle at a 45 percent clip. Justin Ray, New York Times, 16 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for eagle

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English egle, from Anglo-French egle, aigle, from Latin aquila

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1921, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of eagle was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Eagle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eagle. Accessed 28 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

eagle

noun
ea·​gle
ˈē-gəl
1
: any of various large day-flying sharp-eyed birds of prey with a powerful flight that are related to the hawks
2
: a seal or standard shaped like or bearing an eagle
3
: a 10-dollar gold coin of the U.S.
4
: a golf score of two strokes less than par on a hole

More from Merriam-Webster on eagle

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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