peregrine

comparative more peregrine · superlative most peregrine

1. Wandering, travelling, migratory.

   The Romani are perpetually peregrine people.

2. Not native to a region or country; foreign; alien.
3. astrologyLacking essential debility.
4. Extrinsic or from without; exotic.

   peregrine and preternatural heat

   1627 (indicated as 1626), Francis [Bacon], “(please specify the page, or |century=I to X)”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLC

   1 more example

   As soon as she had smiled her face altered again, and the petulant expression peregrine to her features took control.

   1946, Mervyn Peake, Titus Groan

5. With "tone" Referring to the tonus peregrinus or 'wandering tone' in ecclesiastical chant and mode theory.

plural peregrines

1. The peregrine falcon.
2. datedA foreigner; a person resident in a country other than his or her own.

   Synonyms: alien

1. rather rareA male given name from Latin; and of mostly British usage.

   1 more example

   Pringle didn't say anything about Roger always being called Hodge. He sensed that Mr. Liddon wouldn't call him Hodge any more than he would call him Pringle. He was right. / "Parents well, are they, Peregrine?" - - - / Hodge capered about, his thumbs in his ears and his hand flapping. "Tweet, tweet, mad bird. His master chains him up like a dog. Tweet, tweet, birdie!" / "I'd rather be a hunting falcon than Roger the lodger the sod," said Pringle.

   1985, Ruth Rendell, The New Girlfriend: The Fen Hall, pages 124, 127