Meanings
owling1
- uncountableBirding, specifically to catch owls.
- InternetuncountableA variation on planking in which a person is photographed or filmed squatting down in an unusual location.
Planking was soon replaced by owling.
2012 March 28, Trey Parker, “Faith Hilling”, in South Park, season 16, episode 3, spoken by Reporter
owling2
plural owlings · alternative owlling
- A small, juvenile, or baby owl; owlet.
Eumeus, who was sitting on the stairs, pointed to the roof of the stable. Perched on its top, huddled together, three owlings were ogling them.
1985, Romanian Review, volume 39, numbers 6-12, page 222 more examples
Owls are extra hungry then, there being a batch of Greatlings or Hornlings or Owlings or whatever Great Horned Owl babies are called sitting on the edge of a nest waiting on Pa and Ma Owl to bring home the bacon.
1940, Canadian Forestry Association, Forest and outdoors - Volume 36 - Page 344But the spotted owl isn't at the top of the food chain. Instead, the larger great horned owl will eat spotted owls, owlings, or eggs whenever it can.
1994, Cascade Holistic Economic Consultants, Different drummer magazine, volume 1, number 1, page 22
Synonyms & antonyms
Origin
owling · noun
From owl + -ing. Smuggling of sheep is so called because it was done at night, when owls call.
Full word history & related roots →owling · noun
- Proto-Germanic*uwwô
- Proto-Germanic*uwwulǭ
- Proto-West Germanic*uwwulā
- Old Englishūle
- Middle Englishoule
- Englishowl
- Englishowling
Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
owling. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/owling
“owling.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/owling. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “owling,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/owling.
Source: owling on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.