: 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

Examples of owl 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.
As the dark fills his wood, owl and dark become each other’s intimates. Literary Hub, 19 Sep. 2025 But the spread of agriculture and extermination of prairie dogs have sharply reduced the owl’s western populations. Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025 Birds of prey, including eagles, hawks, owls, and falcons, circle overhead, while bison gather to compete for mates (around August) or to calve (which usually takes place in April). Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 9 Sep. 2025 Snowy owls live in the High Arctic for half the year. Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 7 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for owl

Word History

Etymology

Middle English owle, from Old English ūle; akin to Old High German uwila owl

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of owl was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Owl.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/owl. Accessed 24 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

owl

noun
: any of an order of birds of prey that are active mainly at night and that have a broad head, very large eyes, and a powerful hooked beak and claws

More from Merriam-Webster on owl

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