Category:Tiercel

Tier"cel, tierce"let, n. Etym: [oe. tercel, tercelet, f. tiercelet, a Dim. of (assumed) tiercel, or ll. tertiolus, dim. fr. L. tertius the Third; -- so called, according to some, because every third bird in The nest is a male, or, according to others, because the male is the Third part less than female. Cf. Tercel.] (falconry)

Defn: the male of various falcons, esp. of the peregrine; also, the Male of the goshawk. Encyc. Brit.