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goshawk

goshawk

1 9.4
A large bird that hunts other animals, with broad wings and a long tail
  • noun
  • /ˈɡɑːsˌhɔk/
translation icon : gavilán
  • Many goshawks specialize as fierce hunters of large birds.
  • a giant goshawk

Examples

  • Only northern goshawks and rough-legged hawks do not drift far south.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • The goshawk turned its back to me, and the kestrel did a cross-step dance across its perch.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • There was a goshawk, I saw, and a mountain falcon.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • One, originally described as a harrier, now proves to be a giant goshawk of up to seven pounds.

    Academic text (1990)
  • Here I saw several falconers with hooded goshawks on their wrists.

    Academic text (1995)
  • Our men are named for raptors: Vulture, Eagle, Hawk, Goshawk, Kestrel, Falcon, and such.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • New Zealand's vanished giant goshawk must have hunted birds the size of kiwis, kakapos, and keas.

    Academic text (1990)
  • Similarly shaped raptors, such as peregrine falcons and goshawks, are adept at the agile pursuit and rapid capture of birds in flight.

    Academic text (2003)
  • The falconer proudly displayed his trained goshawk to the crowd at the exhibition.

  • While hiking in the forest, I spotted a majestic goshawk soaring above the treetops.

Synonyms

hawk
vsgoshawk
69 2.3

A bird with sharp eyes, short wings, and a long tail that hunts by day

is one large species used in falconry with broader wings and longer tail
Accipiter gentilis
vsgoshawk
  • Specialized
9.9

A large hawk from Europe, Asia, and North America used in falconry

is the common English name while the other is the scientific Latin name
Accipiter
vsgoshawk
  • Specialized
9.9

A bird of prey like a hawk or goshawk

is one specific species rather than a whole genus

Surface Forms

goshawk singular
goshawks plural

Morphology

goshawk = goose + hawk (semi-transparent) = gos + hawk

The compound is structurally clear ('gos' + 'hawk'), but 'gos' is an archaic form of 'goose' which may not be recognized by average learners; the species name is a conventional label.

Etymology

Goshawk comes from old English parts goose and hawk, so it originally meant a 'goose-hawk', a strong bird that could hunt large birds like geese. That's why a goshawk today is a large, powerful hawk often used in falconry.