n.1 any nocturnal bird of prey of the order Strigiformes, with large eyes and a hooked beak, including barn owls, tawny owls, etc.
2 colloq. a person compared to an owl, esp. in looking solemn or wise.
Phrases and idioms:
owl-light dusk, twilight. owl-monkey (pl. -eys) a douroucouli.
Derivatives:
owlery n. (pl. -ies). owlish adj. owlishly adv. owlishness n. (in sense 2). owl-like adj.
Etymology: OE ule f. Gmc