a bird of prey (= a bird that kills other creatures for food) with long pointed wings Topics Birdsc1隼 Word OriginMiddle English faucon (originally denoting any diurnal bird of prey used in falconry): from Old French, from late Latin falco, from Latin falx, falc- ‘sickle’, or of Germanic origin and related to Dutch valk and German Falke. The -l- was added in the 15th cent. to conform with the Latin spelling.