barn owl

noun

: a widely distributed owl (Tyto alba) that has plumage mottled buff brown and gray above and chiefly white below, frequents barns and other buildings, and preys especially on rodents

Examples of barn 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.
Leave a comment View Comments Look here for a prowling puma, a hunting polar bear cub and a ghostly barn owl. Maureen O'Hare, CNN, 30 Nov. 2024 Found in every continent except Antarctica, barn owls are one of the most ubiquitous birds in the world. Ramon Padilla, USA TODAY, 23 Oct. 2024 Adding to this nutrient influx are barn owl pellets, an unlikely ally for the pupfish. Scott Travers, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2024 At night, palpable silence consumes the area, briefly interrupted by hooting barn owls and the sound of rain falling on the leaves. Brandi D. Addison, Austin American-Statesman, 17 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for barn owl 

Word History

First Known Use

1674, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of barn owl was in 1674

Dictionary Entries Near barn owl

Cite this Entry

“Barn owl.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barn%20owl. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

barn owl

noun
: a widely distributed owl with brown, gray, and white feathers that is found near barns and other buildings and preys especially on rodents

More from Merriam-Webster on barn owl

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