tiercel

1 9.9

A male hawk, usually a peregrine or gyrfalcon

noun
/ˈtɪrsl/

Specialized

: tercel

During the falconry demonstration, the trainer introduced the tiercel to the audience.

Examples

The tiercel flew gracefully above the fields, showcasing his impressive wingspan.
Spotting a tiercel perched on the branch, the birdwatcher noted its striking plumage.
I was a mate on the Tiercel when you captained.

Solomon Kane (2009)

Synonyms

tercel

vstiercel

Archaic

9.9

A male hawk such as a peregrine or gyrfalcon

is identical in meaning but represents an alternative written form

tercelet

vstiercel

Archaic

9.9

A male hawk, especially a peregrine or gyrfalcon

is the same in sense but appears as another spelling or variant

Surface Forms

tiercel singular

tiercels plural

Etymology

Tiercel comes from a root like tertiary that means 'third', because people once thought the male bird was about one-third smaller than the female. So a tiercel is the male hawk, the smaller 'third' bird, which explains the name.