Meanings
plural eyries · alternative US aerie · alternative dated aery · alternative archaic eyry · alternative obsolete ayrie · alternative obsolete aiery
- UKThe nest of a bird of prey.
1 more example
The methods employed to ascend to the nest of a bird of prey depend, in each instance, upon its site. If the nest is in a tree, a man can climb up and, having put the young ones in a basket, carry them home. If, however, the eyrie is built in the fissure of a lofty rock, a man is secured to the end of a rope and descends or is lowered from the rim of the mountain or cliff to the level of the hollow in which the eyrie is built and, entering, lifts the bird from the nest.
1943, Casey A. Wood, F. Marjorie Fyfe, “How to reach the eyrie”, in The Art of Falconry, volume 2, translation of original by Frederick II of Hohenstaufen, →ISBN, page 129 - UKAny high and remote but commanding place.
Synonyms & antonyms
nounthe lofty nest of a bird of prey (such as a hawk or eagle)
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Medieval Latinaeria
- Old Frenchaire
- Middle Englisheire
- Englisheyrie
From Middle English eire, aire, from Old French aire or Medieval Latin aeria. Old French aire, in the sense of an eagle's nest, may have derived from Latin ager, or may less likely be related to the other senses, ultimately from Latin ārea.
More words from Middle English, Old French, Medieval Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian орло́во гнездо́
- орло́во гнездо́ (orlóvo gnezdó)bird of prey's nest
Chinese Mandarin 鷹巢 /鹰巢
- 鷹巢 /鹰巢 (yīng cháo)bird of prey's nest
Czech orlí hnízdo, hnízdo dravce
- orlí hnízdobird of prey's nest
- hnízdo dravcebird of prey's nest
Danish rovfuglerede, ørnerede
- rovfugleredebird of prey's nest
- ørneredebird of prey's nest
- ørneredeany high and remote but commanding place
Dutch horst, roofvogelnest
- horstbird of prey's nest
- roofvogelnestbird of prey's nest
Finnish petolinnun pesä, kotkanpesä
- petolinnun pesäbird of prey's nest
- kotkanpesäbird of prey's nest
- kotkanpesäany high and remote but commanding place
French nid d'aigle, aire
- nid d'aiglebird of prey's nest
- airebird of prey's nest
German Horst, Adlerhorst
- Horstbird of prey's nest
- Adlerhorstany high and remote but commanding place
- Adlernestany high and remote but commanding place
Irish nead iolair, soipín iolair
- nead iolairbird of prey's nest
- soipín iolairbird of prey's nest
- crannógany high and remote but commanding place
Japanese 高所にある家
- 高所にある家 (kōsho ni aru ie)any high and remote but commanding place
Polish orle gniazdo
- orle gniazdobird of prey's nest
Russian орли́ное гнездо́, гнездо́ хи́щной пти́цы
- орли́ное гнездо́ (orlínoje gnezdó)bird of prey's nest
- гнездо́ хи́щной пти́цы (gnezdó xíščnoj ptícy)bird of prey's nest
Swedish rovfågelsnäste, örnnäste
- rovfågelsnästebird of prey's nest
- örnnästeany high and remote but commanding place
Ukrainian гніздо хижого птаха
- гніздо хижого птаха (hnizdo xyžoho ptaxa)bird of prey's nest
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with eyrie
Sounds the same
Cite this entry
eyrie. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/eyrie
“eyrie.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/eyrie. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “eyrie,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/eyrie.
Source: eyrie on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.