falcon

noun

fal·​con ˈfal-kən  ˈfȯl- 

 also  ˈfȯ-kən

1

: any of various hawks trained for use in falconry

especially : peregrine falcon

—used technically only of a female compare tiercel

2

: any of various hawks (family Falconidae) that have long pointed wings, a long tail, and a notched beak and that usually inhabit open areas

Illustration of falcon

• 1 hood
• 2 jess
• 3 gauntlet

Examples of falcon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

When pesticides drove the North American peregrine falcon to near-extinction in the 1960s, Tom Cade, a Cornell professor and director of raptor research at the Lab of Ornithology, set up a massive captive-breeding project, producing several thousand young falcons and releasing them into the wild. —Tim Gallagher, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Nov. 2024

One photo showcases a falcon placed on a scale to determine its competitive weight class. —M. Z. Adnan, The New Yorker, 30 Nov. 2024

On Monday, the 6-month-old falcon was found emaciated in a Richmond resident’s yard and taken to a veterinary hospital at UC Davis for treatment, according to UC Berkeley News. —Ethan Varian, The Mercury News, 27 Oct. 2024

There’s a moment just before the start of Brightbill’s quest to learn how to fly when Roz introduces her son to his new teacher, the falcon Thunderbolt (Ving Rhames). —Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 14 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English faucoun, falcon, from Anglo-French faucon, from Late Latin falcon-, falco, probably from Latin falc-, falx

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing falcon

• falcon-gentle
• peregrine falcon

Kids Definition

falcon

noun

fal·​con ˈfal-kən  ˈfȯl- 

 also  ˈfȯ-kən

1

: a hawk trained for use in falconry

2

: any of various swift hawks with long pointed wings, a long tail, and a notch on the upper half of the beak for killing prey