falcon

noun

fal·​con ˈfal-kən  ˈfȯl- 

also ˈfȯ-kən

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

Illustration of falcon

• 1 hood
• 2 jess
• 3 gauntlet

Examples of falcon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Goshawks are imposing birds, twice the size of a falcon. —Stephen Schaefer, Boston Herald, 22 Jan. 2026

Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, birds cannot be taken from the wild and only falcons bred in captivity can be traded. —Will Barker, TheWeek, 8 Jan. 2026

Saker falcon For thousands of years, falconers have prized the lightning-fast and saker falcon (Falco cherrug). —Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 7 Jan. 2026

Thousands of tree swallows float down the coast, rising into snow globe formations when a deadly falcon appears on the scene. —Literary Hub, 4 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English faucoun, falcon, from Anglo-French faucon, from Late Latin falcon-, falco, probably from Latin falc-, falx

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing falcon

• falcon-gentle
• peregrine falcon

Rhymes for falcon

• alkyne
• malkin

Kids Definition

falcon

noun

fal·​con ˈfal-kən  ˈfȯl- 

also ˈfȯ-kən

1

: a hawk trained for use in falconry

2

: any of various swift hawks with long pointed wings, a long tail, and a notch on the upper half of the beak for killing prey