owl

noun \ ˈau̇(-ə)l \

|Updated on: 14 Jun 2018

Definition of owl

: any of an order (Strigiformes) of chiefly nocturnal birds of prey with a large head and eyes, short hooked bill, strong talons, and soft fluffy often brown-mottled plumage

See owl defined for English-language learners

See owl defined for kids

Recent Examples of owl from the Web

And all the boys have just one thing on their minds at this time of year — being twitterpated, as the wise owl told the young Bambi.

— jane ford-stewart, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Seven things you never knew about the sex lives of mallard ducks," 10 Apr. 2018
The owl has just dived in and hit the guy — who is terrified of birds.

— gabriella paiella, The Cut, "Messy Owl Creates Huge Scene at Wedding," 28 Mar. 2018
Development on the site was slowed for a variety of environmental reasons, including creating a mitigation plan for the burrowing owl.

— phillip molnar, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Industrial park breaks ground near U.S.-Mexico border," 26 Mar. 2018
Holt says the owls will also harass domestic dogs, caribou, polar bears—even people.

— National Geographic, "Arctic Fox and Snowy Owl Filmed Doing Strange 'Dance'—But Why?," 10 Jan. 2018
But no one told that to 2017-4242, the case number of one particularly resilient owl treated at a Seattle-area wildlife rehabilitation clinic this winter.

— the washington post, NOLA.com, "Who wins: truck versus owl, and the owl survives," 8 May 2018
The forest is a large and welcome habitat for forest birds like the veery, wood thrush, and a variety of owls and woodpeckers.

— denise coffey, Courant Community, "Bull Hill Preserve Is Jewel In Wyndham Land Trust Crown," 26 Apr. 2018
Its handler, Hal Batzloff, joked to the crowd that the owl has its own chef, butler and groomer.

— susan hoffman, latimes.com, "Hundreds celebrate Earth Day at Upper Newport Bay," 23 Apr. 2018
Tootsie Pop There are many food and drink references in Ready Player One, including a joke, made by I-R0K (T.J. Miller) about the owl in the commercial for the Tootsie Pop, which debuted in the 1960s, before most of the other references in the film.

— Time, "A Handy Guide to the References and Easter Eggs in Ready Player One," 30 Mar. 2018

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