gyrfalcon Hear it!

gyrfalcon definition

gyr·fal·con (jʉr′fôl′kən, -fô′kən; -fal′-)

noun

a large, fierce, strong falcon (Falco rusticolus) of the arctic regions

Etymology: ME gerfaucoun < OFr girfaucon < Frank *gerfalko < *ger (OHG gir, hawk), lit., greedy (one) < IE base *ĝhī, *ĝhe- > gape + *falko, falcon

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Comments
Improve this definition.
Do you have more to add? Share your linguistic knowledge or observation.
/Register to save your comments.