uil

From Dutch uil, from Middle Dutch ule, from Old Dutch *ūwila, from Proto-Germanic *uwwalǭ.

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uil (plural uile, diminutive uiltjie)

1. owl, bird of the order Strigiformes

• 'n uiltjie knip

From Middle Dutch ule, from Old Dutch *ūwila, *ūwala, *ūla, from Proto-Germanic *uwwalǭ, diminutive of *uwwǭ (“eagle-owl”), of imitative origin or a variant of *ūfaz, *ūfǭ.

• IPA^(key): /œy̯l/

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• Hyphenation: uil
• Rhymes: -œy̯l

uil m or f (plural uilen, diminutive uiltje n)

1. owl, bird of the order Strigiformes

   's Avonds zitten er uilen in de boom bij de buren.

   In the evening there are owls in the neighbours' tree.

2. noctuoid, owl moth, owlet

   Veel uilen hebben typerende uilvlekken.

   Many owlet moths have characteristic wing marks.

3. (dialectal) butterfly (generic term)

   Deze kleurrijke uiltjes eten nectar en uitwerpselen.

   These colourful butterflies eat nectar and excrement.

4. (figuratively) idiot

   Die uil van Minerva spreidt zich over zijn vleugel bij het vallen van de avond.

   That nutter from the Oxford Union lies down to mount his grand piano when the night falls.

• Afrikaans: uil
• → Caribbean Hindustani: ullu

• lui