owlish

American  

[ou-lish] / ˈaʊ lɪʃ /

adjective

1. resembling or characteristic of an owl.

   His thick glasses give him an owlish appearance.

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owlish British  

/ ˈaʊlɪʃ /

adjective

1. like an owl

2. solemn and wise in appearance

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Other Word Forms

• owlishly adjective
• owlishness noun

Etymology

Origin of owlish

First recorded in 1605–15; owl + -ish ¹

Example Sentences

A 1972 shot sees two couples on a bird-watching expedition with binoculars held to their eyes, appearing owlish themselves.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026

With his owlish orange glasses and mincing theatrical manners, Cera seems custom-designed for Anderson’s style.

From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2025

Short and thick-bodied, dressed in a bespoke suit and round, owlish glasses, Leo looked like a character from an Agatha Christie mystery.

From Salon • Oct. 12, 2023

A cattleman with owlish glasses and a pinched smile, the real Hale had nurtured such close relations with the local Native American population that he was revered, Grann writes, “as King of the Osage Hills.”

From New York Times • May 20, 2023

They sat deep in his little face and completely dominated the other features with a roundness which seemed to be outlined in dark pencil, giving him an owlish appearance.

From "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou