Owl

Owl

Noun · /aʊl/

Definition

A bird of the order Strigiformes — a nocturnal or crepuscular bird of prey characterised by a large round head, forward-facing eyes, facial disc, silent flight, and the ability to rotate the head through approximately 270 degrees; also used figuratively for a wise or solemn-looking person, or for someone who habitually stays up late.

Origin

From Old English ūle, from Proto-Germanic *uwwalō — imitative of the owl's call. Cognate with Old High German ūwila, Dutch uil, German Eule, Old Norse ugla — all from the same Proto-Germanic root and all essentially imitative of the hoot or screech. One of the oldest English animal names, its origins in onomatopoeia reflecting the deep human attention to the characteristic sound of this particularly distinctive nocturnal bird. The owl's association with wisdom deriving from Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, whose companion and symbol was the little owl (Athena noctua), hence the scientific name.