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Glite Dictionary
Otus asio

Otus asio

9.9
A small North American owl with hornlike feather tufts and a high trembling whistle
  • noun
  • /ˈoʊtəs ˈeɪziˌoʊ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : Otus asio
  • Bird enthusiasts often spot the Otus asio by its hornlike feather tufts and camouflaged plumage.

Examples

  • The Otus asio is commonly found in wooded urban areas throughout eastern North America.

  • At dusk, the distinctive call of the Otus asio can be heard echoing through the forest.

  • Look! An Otus asio!

  • I spotted an Otus asio in the park last night.

  • At dusk, the distinctive call of the Otus asio can be heard echoing through the forest.

  • Bird enthusiasts often spot the Otus asio by its hornlike feather tufts and camouflaged plumage.

  • The Otus asio is commonly found in wooded urban areas throughout eastern North America.

Synonyms

screech owl
vsOtus asio
  • US
1 5.5

A small North and Central American owl with a loud screeching or whistling call

is restricted to North America and highlights hornlike tufts and a quavering whistle

Surface Forms

Otus asio singular
Otus asios plural

Morphology

Otus + Asio

The form 'Otus asio' is a Latin scientific name (genus + species) rather than a compositional English phrase, so knowing the constituent genus names does not let a B1 learner infer the common-species meaning (Eastern screech owl) or the descriptive features. This is a technical, lexicalized label that requires specific biological knowledge, making its meaning unpredictable from the parts for typical learners.

Etymology

Otus asio comes from old Greek and Latin words: Otus points to 'ears' because of the little feather tufts that look like ears, and asio was a Latin name for a 'screeching owl'. So the name fits this small owl with hornlike tufts and a quavering whistle.