Peregrine Falcon
Preserved but no longer current.
A falcon of wide distribu- tion, formerly held in great esteem for hawk- ing, and so called (13th century) because taken when on their passage or peregrination, from tih« breeding place, instead of straight off the nest, as was the case with most other hawks (Lat. peregrinus, a foreigner, one coming from foreign parts).
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Peregrine Falcon” mean?
A falcon of wide distribu- tion, formerly held in great esteem for hawk- ing, and so called (13th century) because taken when on their passage or peregrination, from tih« breeding place, instead of straight off the nest, as was the case with most other hawks (Lat. peregrinus, a foreigner, one coming from foreign parts).
Is “Peregrine Falcon” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.