osprey

noun

os·​prey ˈä-sprē How to pronounce osprey (audio) -ˌsprā How to pronounce osprey (audio)
plural ospreys
1
: a large fish-eating hawk (Pandion haliaetus) with long wings that is dark brown above and mostly pure white below
2
: a feather trimming used for millinery

Illustration of osprey

Illustration of osprey
  • osprey 1

Examples of osprey in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The ponds hold a mix of saltwater and spring-fed freshwater—ideal conditions for osprey and kingfishers, river otters and fish, and especially oysters, quahog clams and scallops. Mary Forgione, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024 Herons, ospreys, black-necked stilts and American avocets. Jared Ranahan, Forbes, 20 Oct. 2024 Visitors can also check out the outdoor osprey cam and maybe even see the bay’s resident osprey couple teaching their chick to fledge the nest. Laura Randall, Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2024 Read on for more, including a look at Florida's endangered panthers and a story about why osprey chicks around the Chesapeake Bay face an uncertain future. Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA TODAY, 20 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for osprey 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English ospray, from Anglo-French *osfraie, from Latin ossifraga, a bird of prey

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of osprey was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near osprey

Cite this Entry

“Osprey.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/osprey. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

osprey

noun
os·​prey ˈäs-prē How to pronounce osprey (audio) -ˌprā How to pronounce osprey (audio)
plural ospreys
: a large hawk that is dark brown above and mostly white below and that feeds chiefly on fish

called also fish hawk

More from Merriam-Webster on osprey

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