osprey

noun

os·​prey ˈä-sprē  -ˌsprā 

plural ospreys

1

: a large fish-eating hawk (Pandion haliaetus) with long wings that is dark brown above and mostly pure white below

2

: a feather trimming used for millinery

Illustration of osprey

• osprey 1

Examples of osprey in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The fleet has become a rich habitat for marine life, as well as seabirds such as ospreys. —Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 26 Sep. 2025

These World War I ships were deliberately burnt and sunk in the late 1920s, and have also become rich habitats for both marine and seabird life including ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) and Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus). —New Atlas, 25 Sep. 2025

But permission to remove nests that still hold young ospreys is normally denied unless there’s a major health and human safety concern. —Mark Vancleave, Twin Cities, 11 Sep. 2025

Wildlife in the park includes bald eagles, ospreys, and manatees. —Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 25 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English ospray, from Anglo-French *osfraie, from Latin ossifraga, a bird of prey

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

osprey

noun

os·​prey ˈäs-prē  -ˌprā 

plural ospreys

: a large hawk that is dark brown above and mostly white below and that feeds chiefly on fish

called also fish hawk