Dictionary
Thesaurus
Encyclopedia
Translator
Web
Related Searches
Nearby Words

gyrfalcon

 - 3 dictionary results

gyr⋅fal⋅con

  [jur-fawl-kuhn, -fal-, -faw-kuhn]
Use gyrfalcon in a Sentence
–noun
a large falcon, Falco rusticolus, of arctic and subarctic regions, having white, gray, or blackish color phases: now greatly reduced in number.
Also, gerfalcon.

Origin:
1300–50; ME gerfaucon, jerfacoun < MF, OF, equiv. to ger- (perh. < OHG giri greedy) + faucon falcon; cf. ON geirfalki
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To gyrfalcon
gyr·fal·con also ger·fal·con   (jûr'fāl'kən, -fôl'-, -fô'-)   
n.  A large falcon (Falco rusticolus) of Arctic regions, having color phases that range from black to gray to white.

[Middle English girfaucoun, from Old French girfaut, gerfaucon : Old High German gīr, vulture + Old French faucon, falcon; see falcon.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Word Origin & History

gyrfalcon 
1209, from O.Fr. gerfauc, probably from Frankish, from P.Gmc. *ger (cf. O.H.G. gir "vulture") + L. falco "hawk." Folk etymology connects it with L. gyrus (see gyre) in reference to "circling" in the air.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Search another word or see gyrfalcon on Thesaurus | Reference
FacebookTwitterFollow us:
Partner Sites:
Ask AnswersEviteExpediaHotelsHotwireLife123LiveDailyMy Way