falconet

[ fawl-kuh-net, fal-, faw-kuh- ]

noun

1. any of several small Asian falcons, especially of the genus Microhierax.

falconet

/ ˈfɔːkə-; ˈfɔːlkəˌnɛt /

noun

1. any of various small falcons, esp any of the Asiatic genus Microhierax
2. a small light cannon used from the 15th to 17th centuries

Word History and Origins

Origin of falconet¹

First recorded in 1850–55; falcon + -et

Example Sentences

They’re attributed to sculptor and Sèvres porcelain designer Etienne-Maurice Falconet, best known for his colossal, 1782 bronze statue of Peter the Great on rearing horseback in St. Petersburg, Russia.

From Los Angeles Times

A new study uses more than 2 decades of bird sightings by China’s citizen scientists to map the ranges of nearly 1400 species, from the endangered red-crowned crane to the pied falconet.

From Science Magazine

The horse in Etienne Maurice Falconet’s 1782 statue of Peter the Great in St. Petersburg also rears back, but its tail is attached to a serpent that slithers along the ground, providing stability.

From Washington Post

She was counting the days to be reunited with her daughter, Sulay Falconet, 30, who moved to Houston in 2012, and to embrace her 3-year-old grandson, Jeremy.

From New York Times

The yearning to be reunited became unbearable, she said, after Ms. Falconet’s home was flooded last month when Hurricane Harvey battered Houston.

From New York Times