Definition of falcon
1 : any of various hawks trained for use in falconry; especially : peregrine falcon —used technically only of a female — compare tiercel
2 : any of various hawks (family Falconidae) that have long pointed wings, a long tail, and a notched beak and that usually inhabit open areas
From the M-W Editors
Recent Examples of falcon from the Web
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The nearly mile-long bluff rises 400 feet above Lake Pepin (a wide spot in the Mississippi) and is one of only six bluffs on the river where peregrine falcons nest naturally.
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One thing is certain, that ol' Falcon 9 sure can fly—and nobody seems to be able to catch it.
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But this year — for the first time in their relationship — the peregrine falcon parents will be flying solo.
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Other birds include greater spotted and imperial eagles, red-footed and saker falcons, great snipes and semi-collared flycatchers.
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A SpaceX Falcon 9 on Friday launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida and boosted a communications satellite for Bulgaria into orbit.
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Riot Games is among companies that have used falcons to deter pigeons and other unwanted birds from their outdoor spaces, according to the New Yorker.
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Musk wrote in his New Space paper, citing SpaceX's increasingly precise Falcon 9 first-stage landings.
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Falcons owner Arthur Blank also brought up Jones in praising White at the press conference.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'falcon.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Illustration of falcon
Origin and Etymology of falcon
Middle English faucoun, falcon, from Anglo-French faucon, from Late Latin falcon-, falco, probably from Latin falc-, falx
FALCON Defined for English Language Learners
falcon
playDefinition of falcon for English Language Learners
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: a type of hawk that can fly very fast and is sometimes trained to hunt
FALCON Defined for Kids
falcon
playDefinition of falcon for Students
1 : a hawk trained for use in hunting small game
2 : any of several small hawks with long wings and swift flight
Learn More about falcon
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Spanish Central: Translation of falcon Nglish: Translation of falcon for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of falcon for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about falcon
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