harrier

1 of 3

noun (1)

har·​ri·​er ˈher-ē-ər How to pronounce harrier (audio)
ˈha-rē-
1
: any of a breed of hunting dogs resembling a small English foxhound and originally bred for hunting rabbits
2
: a runner on a cross-country team

harrier

2 of 3

noun (2)

: any of a genus (Circus) of slender hawks having long angled wings and long legs and feeding chiefly on small mammals, reptiles, and insects

harrier

3 of 3

noun (3)

: one that harries

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Around half the islands’ bird species were wiped out after humans arrived in New Zealand — including Haast’s eagle and Eyles’s harrier — opening new niches. Boyce Upholt, Discover Magazine, 4 Sep. 2022 As a sophomore in 2018, Cole finished eighth at counties, and in 2019, the Centennial harrier won bronze behind Nanjappa and Ba. Jacob Calvin Meyer, baltimoresun.com, 11 June 2021 Around half the islands’ bird species were wiped out after humans arrived in New Zealand — including Haast’s eagle and Eyles’s harrier — opening new niches. Boyce Upholt, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Sep. 2022 Nimrit Ahuja was the top Howard harrier, crossing the line in 18:41. Brent Kennedy, baltimoresun.com, 4 Oct. 2021 The marsh harrier is one of only two birds whose males permanently don the colours of females. Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 8 Nov. 2011

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'harrier.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English hayrer, heirer, eirer, of uncertain origin, later reshaped after hare entry 1 and harrier entry 3

Noun (2)

earlier also harroer, harrower, from harrow entry 1 or harry + -er entry 2

Noun (3)

harry + -er entry 2

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1542, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1553, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

1596, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of harrier was in 1542

Dictionary Entries Near harrier

Cite this Entry

“Harrier.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/harrier. Accessed 25 Mar. 2023.

Kids Definition

harrier

1 of 2 noun
har·​ri·​er ˈhar-ē-ər How to pronounce harrier (audio)
: any of a breed of hunting dogs like a large beagle that were originally used for hunting rabbits

harrier

2 of 2 noun
1
: one that harries
2
: any of various slender long-legged hawks

More from Merriam-Webster on harrier

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!


Which Came First?

  • baby chick with a brown egg
  • hot take or cold shoulder?
Name That Thing

You know what it looks like… but what is it called?

TAKE THE QUIZ
Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can with using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.

Can you make 12 words with 7 letters?

PLAY