owl: [OE] Owl has several relatives in the other modern Germanic languages (German eule, Dutch uil, Swedish uggla), which point back to a prehistoric source *uwwalōn, *uwwilōn. Like most owl-names, such as Latin ulula and the possibly related German uhu, this no doubt originated as an imitation of the owl’s call.
Old English ule "owl," from Proto-Germanic *uwwalon- (cognates: Middle Dutch, Dutch uil, Old High German uwila, German Eule, Old Norse ugla), a diminutive of PIE root *u(wa)l-, which is imitative of a wail or an owl's hoot (compare Latin ulula "owl;" also see ululation). The bird was employed proverbially and figuratively in reference to nocturnal habits, ugliness, and appearance of gravity and wisdom (often ironic).
双语例句
1. The owl is sacred for many Californian Indian people.
