horned owl

noun

: any of various owls having conspicuous tufts of feathers on the head
especially : great horned owl

Examples of horned owl in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
The horned owl is aggressive — sometimes it's called the tiger owl — with sharp talons and powerful beak, and should only be approached by people with experience handling it. Frank Witsil, Detroit Free Press, 13 Dec. 2019 The horned owl has pronounced ear tufts and a brown bring on the body. John Schandelmeier, Anchorage Daily News, 9 Jan. 2018

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of horned owl was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near horned owl

Cite this Entry

“Horned owl.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/horned%20owl. Accessed 17 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

horned owl

noun
: any of several owls with two bunches of feathers on the head that look like ears
especially : great horned owl

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