Gyrfalcon

Gyrfalcon
Gyrfalcon Gyr"fal`con (j[~e]r"f[add]`k'n), n. [OE. gerfaucon, OF. gerfaucon, LL. gyrofalco, perh. fr. L. gyrus circle + falco falcon, and named from its circling flight; or cf. E. gier-eagle. See {Gyre}, n., {Falcon}.] (Zo["o]l.) One of several species and varieties of large Arctic falcons, esp. {Falco rusticolus} and the white species {Falco Islandicus}, both of which are circumpolar. The black and the gray are varieties of the former. See Illust. of {Accipiter}. [Written also {gerfalcon}, {gierfalcon}, and {jerfalcon}.] [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • gyrfalcon — also gerfalcon, c.1200, from O.Fr. girfauc large northern falcon, probably from Frankish, from P.Gmc. *ger (Cf. O.H.G. gir vulture ) + L. falco hawk (see FALCON (Cf. falcon)). Folk etymology connects it with L. gyrus (see GYRE (Cf. gy …   Etymology dictionary

  • gyrfalcon — ► NOUN ▪ a large arctic falcon, with mainly grey or white plumage. ORIGIN probably related to High German g r spear …   English terms dictionary

  • gyrfalcon — [jʉr′fôl΄kən, jʉr′fô΄kən; jʉr′fal΄kən] n. [ME gerfaucoun < OFr girfaucon < Frank * gerfalko < * ger (OHG gir, hawk), lit., greedy (one) < IE base * ĝhī, *ĝhe > GAPE + * falko, FALCON] a large, fierce, strong falcon (Falco… …   English World dictionary

  • Gyrfalcon — Taxobox name = Gyrfalcon or Gerfalcon image width = 220px image caption = Brown morph status = LC status system = iucn3.1 regnum = Animalia phylum = Chordata classis = Aves ordo = Falconiformes familia = Falconidae genus = Falco subgenus = (… …   Wikipedia

  • gyrfalcon — /jerr fawl keuhn, fal , faw keuhn/, n. a large falcon, Falco rusticolus, of arctic and subarctic regions, having white, gray, or blackish color phases: now greatly reduced in number. Also, gerfalcon. [1300 50; ME gerfaucon, jerfacoun < MF, OF,… …   Universalium

  • gyrfalcon — medžioklinis sakalas statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas atitikmenys: lot. Falco gyrfalco; Falco rusticolus; Hierofalco rusticolus angl. gyrfalcon vok. Gerfalke, m rus. кречет, m pranc. faucon gerfaut, m ryšiai: platesnis terminas – tikrieji… …   Paukščių pavadinimų žodynas

  • Gyrfalcon (disambiguation) — Gyrfalcon may refer to:* The Gyrfalcon, a species of bird. * The Gyrfalcon Islands are an archipelago around coord|59|6|N|68|57|W in Ungava Bay, northeastern Canada [http://encarta.msn.com/map 701571681/Gyrfalcon Islands.html] . Nearby Tiercel… …   Wikipedia

  • gyrfalcon — noun Etymology: Middle English gerfaucun, from Anglo French girfauc, girfaucon, probably from gir vulture (from Old High German gīr) + faucon falcon Date: 14th century an arctic falcon (Falco rusticolus) that occurs in several color forms and is… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • gyrfalcon — noun /ˈdʒəːfɔːlkən/ A large bird of prey that breeds on Arctic coasts and islands of North America, Europe and Asia. [...] the usurper Buljan ordered that his sukkah be erected on the donjons roof, with its [...] relative nearness to the stars,… …   Wiktionary

  • gyrfalcon — n. large Arctic falcon (bird of prey)gyr·fal·con || dÊ’Éœr‚fælkÉ™n / dʒɜː‚fɔːlkÉ™n …   English contemporary dictionary

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