aigle

See also: Aigle

French

Etymology

    Inherited from Middle French aigle, from Old French aigle, itself either borrowed from Old Occitan aigla or taken from Latin aquila, though not as a popular term. Cf. the Old French and regional form aille, which may be popularly inherited.

    Pronunciation

    Noun

    aigle m (plural aigles)

    1. eagle (any of a number of species of birds of prey)
    2. (figuratively) a man of ingenuity and superior talent; a genius

    Usage notes

    • The term aigle doesn't have a one-to-one translation between French and English. Some species known as eagles in English are known as pygargues in French.

    Derived terms

    Noun

    aigle f (plural aigles)

    1. a female eagle
    2. (heraldry) a representation an eagle; the eagle as a heraldic symbol

    Further reading

    Anagrams

    Middle French

    Etymology

      From Old French aigle.

      Noun

      aigle f (plural aigles)

      1. eagle

      Descendants

      • French: aigle

      Old French

      Etymology

        Either borrowed from Old Occitan aigla or taken from Latin aquila. Cf. the variant form aille, which may be popularly inherited.

        Noun

        aigle oblique singularm (oblique plural aigles, nominative singular aigles, nominative plural aigle)

        1. eagle (animal)
          • 1260–1267, Brunetto Latini, “De tous Faucons [On all falcons]” (chapter 150), Book 5, in Livres dou Tresor [Book of Treasures]; republished as Polycarpe Chabaille, compiler, Li livres dou tresor par Brunetto Latini[1], Paris: Imprimerie impériale, 1863, page 203:
            La sisisme ligne est sourpoins. Cist est molt grans, et resemble aigle blanche, mais des oilz et des eles et dou bec est il semblables au girfaut
            The sixth kind [of falcon] is the saker. It is very large, and resembles the white eagle; but in the eyes, and in the wings, and in the beak, it is similar to the gyrfalcon

        Descendants

        Scots

        Etymology

        From Middle English egle, from Anglo-Norman egle, from Old French aigle, from Latin aquila.

        Pronunciation

        • IPA(key): /ˈeɡl/

        Noun

        aigle (plural aigles)

        1. eagle

        References