owl

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Many people try to guess as to why the building may have been built to look like an owl, but the fact remains that the Frost Bank logos that make up the eyes of the owl were added to the building after the original design was finished --- casting doubt that any feathery resemblance was intentional.

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Definitions (26)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (2)

  1. noun Any of various often nocturnal birds of prey of the order Strigiformes, having hooked and feathered talons, large heads with short hooked beaks, large eyes set forward, and fluffy plumage that allows for almost noiseless flight.
  2. noun Any of a breed of domestic pigeons resembling owls.

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Examples (50)

  • "Did you hear that guff he rattled off about owls If the owl was his, maybe he's read up on owls He had read up on the word, pole, and the word, kid, too," Ham reminded. —  109 - The Too-Wise Owl
  • Owasso was not in sight Absence of the owl was a little surprising, since doors and windows were closed tightly Monk growled, "That night chicken must've flew under a chair, or something." —  109 - The Too-Wise Owl
  • In Greek mythology, the owl is the companion of Athena, the goddess of wisdom. —  Real Lawyers Have Blogs
  • A barred owl is not to be confused with a barn owl, which is a smaller bird with a large heart-shaped white face. —  Carthage Press Homepage RSS
  • Many people try to guess as to why the building may have been built to look like an owl, but the fact remains that the Frost Bank logos that make up the eyes of the owl were added to the building after the original design was finished --- casting doubt that any feathery resemblance was intentional. —  Apartment Therapy Main
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Words tagged owl

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Etymologies (3)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Middle English owle, from Old English ūle, of imitative origin.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (2)

  1. from Middle English owle, oule, ule, from Anglo-Saxon ūle = Dutch uil = Middle Low German ūle, Low German ūle = Old High German ūwila, ūla, hūwela, hiuwela, Middle High German iuwel, iule, hūwel, hiuwel, German eule = Icelandic ugla = Swedish uggla = Danish ugle, an owl; cf. Old High German hūwo, Middle High German hūwe, ūwe, an owl; French huette, an owl; Latin ulula, an owl, Hindustani hūhū, an owl, also a dove; all prob. orig. based on an imitation of the bird's cry, and thus remotely related to howl.
  2. from owl, n.
 

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/aʊl/
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