Translation
falcon
Word origin
From late Latin falco, falconis, the bird's name across the whole of western Europe. Where the Latin got it is not settled.
- Origin
- Late Latin
- Root
- falco
- English cognates
- falcon, falconry
Other proposed origins
- The traditional account derives it from Latin falx, falcis, a sickle, for the curved talons and the scythe-shape of the wings in a stoop. (Latin, falx)
- A Germanic account has the Latin borrowing an existing northern bird-name, close to Old High German falco, and possibly connected to the colour word for pale yellow that gives English fallow. (Old High German, falco)
Examples
.
The falcon flew over the field and the forest.
.
Falcons catch birds with their sharp claws.
.
The king went hunting with his falcon.
The bird set, now four strong. Esperanto keeps its birds of prey and its
big black birds as separate roots, as European languages do: the
falcon, aglo at 2,162 the eagle,
korvo at 2,209 the crow, and
cigno at 2,551 the swan, with
birdo over all of them at 635. Akcipitro is the hawk
and nizo the sparrowhawk if you need to be exact; for most purposes
does the whole job of a swift hunting bird.
Falconry gives it its idioms. o is a falconer, falkĉaso is
hawking, and the sport is why this word is commoner in older literature than
its bare frequency suggests - the vocabulary of hunting with a trained bird was
everyday for centuries and is now specialist. Falkokulo and the adjective
falkokula mean sharp-eyed, and they are live metaphors rather than dictionary
curiosities.
Say the f and stop. No trap in the pronunciation, and none in the
spelling either - is one of the plainest words in this chapter, which
after and is a small mercy. The plural is , the
accusative , and there is nothing else to know.
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falko: worksheet, infographic and listicle
Free printable study downloads for the Esperanto word "falko" (falcon): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.
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Start your free weekThis word is part of lesson 59.