| tiercelet | <veterinary> The male of various falcons, especially. Of the peregrine; also, the male of the goshawk. Origin: OE. Tercel, tercelet, F. Tiercelet, a dim. Of (assumed) tiercel, or LL. Tertiolus, dim. Fr. L. Tertius the third; so called, according to some, because every third bird in the nest is a male, or, according to others, because the male is the third part less than female. Cf. Tercel. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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