Meanings
nounlaughing owl (plural laughing owls)
plural laughing owls
- An owl (Sceloglaux albifacies) of New Zealand, now probably extinct, named for its cry.
Other birds, such as the emblematically distinctive huia and the laughing owl, followed soon after.
2003, Michael King, The Penguin History of Aotearoa New Zealand, Penguin, published 2023, page 185Synonyms: whekau, white-faced owl
Synonyms & antonyms
nounAn owl (Sceloglaux albifacies) of New Zealand, now probably extinct, named for its cry.
Similar
whekauwhite-faced owl
More synonyms by meaning
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Translations
Finnish kirkupöllö
- kirkupöllöSceloglaux albifacies
Korean 웃는올빼미
- 웃는올빼미 (unneunolppaemi)Sceloglaux albifacies
Māori whēkau, kakaha
- whēkauSceloglaux albifacies
- kakahaSceloglaux albifacies
Russian смею́щаяся сова́, новозела́ндская сова́-хохоту́нья
- смею́щаяся сова́ (smejúščajasja sová)Sceloglaux albifacies
- новозела́ндская сова́-хохоту́нья (novozelándskaja sová-xoxotúnʹja)Sceloglaux albifacies
Swedish skrattuggla
- skrattugglaSceloglaux albifacies
Cite this entry
APA
laughing owl. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/laughing%20owl
MLA
“laughing owl.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/laughing%20owl. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “laughing owl,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/laughing%20owl.
Source: laughing owl on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.