peregrine falcon

noun

|Updated on: 20 Jun 2018

Definition of peregrine falcon

: a swift nearly cosmopolitan falcon (Falco peregrinus) often used in falconry — called also peregrine

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Recent Examples of peregrine falcon from the Web

Officials rescued an injured baby peregrine falcon that was blocking a Cambridge intersection near Kendall Square Monday evening, police said.

— elise takahama, BostonGlobe.com, "Injured baby falcon rescued from Cambridge intersection," 12 June 2018
In her care was a kestrel, peregrine falcon, barn owl, bald and golden eagle.

— denise coffey, Courant Community, "Connecticut Audubon Hosts Migration Madness Weekend," 29 May 2018
University of California, Berkeley officials are asking for help naming three fluffy peregrine falcon chicks that hatched last month in the iconic Campanile bell tower on campus.

— Fox News, "UC Berkeley wants help naming 3 fluffy peregrine chicks," 25 May 2018
Two peregrine falcons recently returned to the top of the Evanston Public Library building, taking another chance at expanding their family after abandoning a nest there last year.

— genevieve bookwalter, chicagotribune.com, "Pair of perennial peregrine falcons back atop Evanston Public Library; female sitting on four eggs," 17 Apr. 2018
There are deer and songbirds and peregrine falcons, gopher snakes and owls and frogs.

— maria l. la ganga, idahostatesman, "Developer wants townhouses. Neighbors want green acres. A fight brews in Northwest Boise | Idaho Statesman," 18 Mar. 2018
Triumph, one of two peregrine falcons who wintered in San Antonio, is shown back at his home atop the Multifoods Tower in Minneapolis in March 2018.

— vincent t. davis, San Antonio Express-News, "Wintering falcons about to become parents again after their winter stay in San Antonio," 5 May 2018
The prototype was modeled on a peregrine falcon; its developers are now working on a mechanical bald eagle.

— yasemin saplakoglu, Scientific American, "In Case You Missed It," 1 Feb. 2018
The world’s fastest hunter—the peregrine falcon—snatches prey out of the sky at speeds of more than 300 kilometers per hour.

— katie langin, Science | AAAS, "Peregrine falcons maneuver best when dive-bombing at more than 300 kilometers per hour," 12 Apr. 2018

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

Illustration of peregrine falcon

Origin and Etymology of peregrine falcon

Middle English faukon peregryn, from Medieval Latin falco peregrinus, literally, pilgrim falcon; from the young being captured wandering from their nests, which were too inaccessible to reach easily

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First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined above

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