What does "falcon" mean?
Any bird of the genus Falco, all of which are birds of prey.
Falcon
/ˈfɔː(l)kən/ name, noun, verb
name, noun, verb ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Any bird of the genus Falco, all of which are birds of prey.
- Grammar: falcon is listed as name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: achievement, annulet, armory, arms.
- Useful contrasts: nonpredator, passero, prey.
- Usage evidence: A smart falcon hides its talons.
How to use "falcon"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "falcon" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "falcon" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "falcon" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "falcon" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "falcon" is acting as name, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "achievement" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "falcon", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Any bird of the genus Falco, all of which are birds of prey.
- 2 diurnal birds of prey having long pointed powerful wings adapted for swift flight wordnet
- 3 Any bird of prey of the subfamilies Falconinae and Herpetotherinae.
- 4 A female such bird, a male being a tiercel.
- 5 A light cannon used from the 15th to the 17th century. historical
Verb
- 1 To hunt with a falcon or falcons.
"He rode astride while hawking; she falconed in the ladylike position of sidesaddle."
- 2 hunt with falcons wordnet
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname.; A surname from Spanish. countable, uncountable
- 2 A surname.; A surname, from Native Indigenous Amerindian languages. countable, uncountable
- 3 A place name:; A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in El Paso County, Colorado. countable, uncountable
- 4 A place name:; A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Magoffin County, Kentucky. countable, uncountable
- 5 A place name:; A number of places in the United States:; A town in Quitman County, Mississippi. countable, uncountable
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 A place name:; A number of places in the United States:; A town in Cumberland County and Sampson County, North Carolina. countable, uncountable
- 7 A place name:; A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in McNairy County, Tennessee. countable, uncountable
- 8 A place name:; A suburb of Mandurah, Western Australia. countable, uncountable
Antonyms
Example
"A smart falcon hides its talons."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "falcon"?
Common synonyms include: achievement, annulet, armory, arms, atlas, azure.
How do you use "falcon" in a sentence?
A smart falcon hides its talons.
How do you pronounce "falcon"?
Pronounced /ˈfɔː(l)kən/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English faucoun, falcon, faulcon, from Old French falcun, from Late Latin falcō (“falcon”), of Germanic origin, probably via Frankish *falkō (“falcon, hawk”), from Proto-Germanic *falkô (“falcon”), from Proto-Indo-European *pol̑- (“pale”), from *pel- (“fallow”). Cognates Cognate with Old English *fealca, fealcen (“falcon”), Dutch valk (“falcon, hawk”), German Falke (“falcon, hawk”), Norwegian and Swedish falk (“falcon”), Icelandic fálki (“falcon”), French faucon (“falcon”), Italian falco (“falcon”), Spanish halcón (“falcon”), Portuguese falcão (“falcon”), Latin falco (“falcon”), Lithuanian pálšas (“pale”), Latvian bāls (“pale”), Latgalian buolgs (“pale”). More at fallow.
Etymology 2
* From Spanish Falcón * Calque from Amerindian languages, for the bird falcon.