owling

O1W4L1I1N1G2
/ˈaʊ.lɪŋ/

noun

Birding, specifically to catch owls.

Scrabble 10

Meanings

owling1

nounowling (uncountable)
  1. uncountableBirding, specifically to catch owls.
  2. historicaluncountableThe smuggling of sheep or wool out of England.
  3. 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

nounowling (plural owlings)

plural owlings · alternative owlling

  1. 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 22
    2 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 344

    But 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

Also see

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

  1. Proto-Germanic*uwwô
  2. Proto-Germanic*uwwulǭ
  3. Proto-West Germanic*uwwulā
  4. Old Englishūle
  5. Middle Englishoule
  6. Englishowl
  7. Englishowling

From owl + -ling.

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

Cite this entry
APA

owling. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/owling

MLA

“owling.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/owling. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “owling,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/owling.

Source: owling on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.