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Definition of owl

owl

/aʊl/
owl
Adverb:owlishly
•
Plural:owls
•
Adjective:owlish
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owl Lexical Profile

owl Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A nocturnal bird of prey characterized by a large broad head, binocular vision, binaural hearing, and specialized feathers adapted for silent flight, belonging to the order Strigiformes.

Example

"The great horned owl perched silently on the oak branch, scanning the forest floor for any sign of movement."

2

A person who habitually stays up late and is most active during the night.

Example

"Ever since college, he has been a confirmed owl, often writing his best code between midnight and dawn."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for owl
Antonyms
View all antonyms for owl

• Rhymes for owl

• Nearby Words

owens river
owie
owing
owl
owlet
owlish
owllike

Word Origin & Etymology

From Old English 'ūle', of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch 'uil' and German 'Eule', ultimately derived from a Proto-Indo-European root that imitates the bird's hooting call.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Owl. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/owl
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