rhizoverbBeta
DictionaryhawkBird of prey
noun

hawk

HAWK/hɔːk/

A keen-sighted bird of prey with powerful talons.

The hawk spreads its wings and extends its talons toward the branch.

A red-tailed hawk descending onto a bare branch, broad wings spread and sharp curved talons extended visibly toward the perch.
Etymology
hawkOld Englishhawk

Old English hafoc already named the bird of prey. Its deeper ancestry connects the name with grasping, an apt image for a bird that seizes prey with sharp talons.

In context

Muller Field Station1:00
a bird of prey like a hawk or an owl could have picked this small shrew up from the field and carried it and then dropped it
Shrew Knew? Fascinating facts about shrews!

More examples

  • The hawk grips a branch with its powerful talons.
  • We spot two hawks perched on fence posts.
  • A hawk swoops down and catches a mouse in the grass.

Forms

hawk · hawks

Similar words

raptor
A broader term covering hawks and other birds of prey.
falcon
A different bird of prey, typically with more pointed wings.