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Glite Dictionary
tawny owl

tawny owl

7.0
A medium-sized European owl with reddish-brown feathers and black eyes
  • noun
  • /ˈtɔni aʊl/
  • UK
translation icon : búho común
  • The tawny owl hooted softly in the moonlight as it hunted for food.

Examples

  • A tawny owl made its nest in the place where the bells once hung.

    Fiction book (2000)

  • We spotted a tawny owl perched on a branch, blending perfectly with the autumn leaves.

  • The tawny owl is known for its distinctive reddish-brown feathers and large, dark eyes.

Synonyms

Strix aluco
vstawny owl
  • Specialized
9.9

A medium-sized brown European owl with a round head and black eyes

is the common name used in everyday language for the same bird

Surface Forms

tawny owl singular
tawny owls plural

Morphology

tawny + owl

This is a straightforward adjective + noun composition: a B1 learner who knows 'tawny' (light brown/orange) and 'owl' (a bird) can infer it means an owl that is tawny-colored. The specific species detail (Strix aluco) is additional but does not prevent the overall meaning being directly derivable from the constituents.

Etymology

The name tawny owl comes from the bird's 'reddish-brown' feathers, since tawny means that warm brown colour. So tawny owl simply describes an owl with that colour and is the bird's name today.