ENGLISH
REFERENCE

owl

n.
US //ˈaʊɫ// UK //ˈaʊl// owl
  1. 1 the bird (n.)
    A2 Elementary

    a bird with large eyes and a flat face that hunts small animals at night.

    a nocturnal bird of prey belonging to the order Strigiformes, known for its silent flight and binocular vision.

    Example

    We heard an owl hooting in the trees behind our house last night.

    Example

    The snowy owl is perfectly adapted to the arctic tundra, with thick white plumage that provides both insulation and camouflage against the snow.

  2. 2 a person who stays up late (n.)
    B1 Intermediate Informal

    a person who is active or likes to stay awake late at night.

    a person who habitually stays up late or is most productive during the night hours; often used in the phrase 'night owl'.

    Example

    I have always been an owl, so I prefer working the late shift at the hospital.

    Example

    While her roommate was a morning person, Sarah was a true night owl who did her best academic writing after midnight.
    • night owl
  3. 3 a wise person (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Literary

    someone who is very wise or serious.

    a person perceived as having great wisdom, solemnity, or a serious disposition, drawing on the bird's cultural symbolism.

    Example

    The old professor was a bit of an owl, sitting quietly and watching everyone.

    Example

    He sat in the corner of the library like a silent owl, observing the frantic students with a look of detached wisdom.
  4. 4 political moderate (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Politics

    a politician who has middle-ground views, not being too aggressive or too peaceful.

    a politician who adopts a moderate stance, specifically one that is neither hawkish (aggressive) nor dovish (pacifist).

    Example

    The senator described himself as an owl who preferred careful balance over extreme positions.

    Example

    In the debate over military spending, the administration's 'owls' argued for a strategic middle path that avoided the extremes of both hawks and doves.
Origin

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 adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Idioms2 entries

Last updated June 20, 2026