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

Illustration of falcon
  • 1 hood
  • 2 jess
  • 3 gauntlet

Examples of falcon in a Sentence

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.
The karure finished at the top of the pecking order with more than 25,000 votes, beating previous winners the kākāpō, a large flightless parrot, and the kārearea, or New Zealand falcon, into second and third place, respectively. — Adam Pourahmadi, CNN Money, 21 Sep. 2026 Both vehicles have falcon doors, called a Shahin Wing here, to get in and out of the vehicle. — Chad Kirchner, ArsTechnica, 21 Sep. 2026 White flamingos and red-footed falcons floated above the lagoon, framed by a long strip of dune and beach. — Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026 The baby falcons hatched in early May after their falcon parents, Vixen and Dave, nested in a crevice on the second floor of the exterior of Aurora City Hall. — Addison Wright, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for falcon

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of falcon was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Falcon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/falcon. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

Kids Definition

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

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