What does "owl" mean?
Any of various birds of prey of the order Strigiformes, families Strigidae and Tytonidae, that are primarily nocturnal and have forward-looking, binocular vision, limited eye movement, and good hearing.
Owl
/aʊ(ə)l/ noun, verb, slang
noun, verb, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Any of various birds of prey of the order Strigiformes, families Strigidae and Tytonidae, that are primarily nocturnal and have forward-looking, binocular vision, limited eye movement, and good hearing.
- Grammar: owl is listed as noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: angry clouds, avifauna, baby bird, bird.
- Useful contrasts: daytime predator, diurnal bird, fool.
- Usage evidence: An owl sleeps by day and hunts by night.
How to use "owl"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "owl" 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 "owl" 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 "owl" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "owl" 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 "owl" is acting as noun, verb, slang 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 "angry clouds" 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.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "owl", 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 of various birds of prey of the order Strigiformes, families Strigidae and Tytonidae, that are primarily nocturnal and have forward-looking, binocular vision, limited eye movement, and good hearing.
"A group of owls is called a parliament."
- 2 Initialism of Older Women's League. abbreviation, alt-of, initialism
- 3 A player or fan of Sheffield Wednesday Football Club. slang
- 4 nocturnal bird of prey with hawk-like beak and claws and large head with front-facing eyes wordnet
- 5 A person seen as having owl-like characteristics, especially appearing wise or serious, or being nocturnally active. broadly
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 Initialism of Web Ontology Language (The order of the letters is discussed at Web Ontology Language § Acronym.) abbreviation, alt-of, initialism
- 7 An owl pigeon.
- 8 A politician with moderate views that are neither hawkish nor dovish. uncommon
- 9 Any of various nymphalid butterflies, especially in the genus Caligo, having large eyespots on the wings.
Verb
- 1 To smuggle contraband goods. archaic, intransitive
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"An owl sleeps by day and hunts by night."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "owl"?
Common synonyms include: angry clouds, avifauna, baby bird, bird, bird of jove, bird of juno.
How do you use "owl" in a sentence?
An owl sleeps by day and hunts by night.
How do you pronounce "owl"?
Pronounced /aʊ(ə)l/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English oule, owle, from Old English ūle, from Proto-West Germanic *uwwilā, from Proto-Germanic *uwwalǭ (compare West Frisian ûle, Dutch uil, Danish and Norwegian ugle, German Eule), diminutive of *uwwǭ (“eagle-owl”) (compare German Uhu), of imitative origin or a variant of *ūfaz, *ūfǭ (compare Old English ūf or hūf, Swedish uv (“horned owl”), Bavarian Auf), from Proto-Indo-European *up- (compare Latvian ũpis (“eagle-owl”), Czech úpět (“to wail, howl”), Avestan 𐬎𐬟𐬌𐬌𐬈𐬌𐬨𐬌 (ufiieimi, “to call out”). A Germanic variant *uwwilǭ was the source of Old High German ūwila (German Eule).
Etymology 2
Named from the Owlerton stadium where they used to play.