Lanners

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of falcon known for its skill in hunting and speed, often found in various regions
2. A bird of prey associated with various habitats, celebrated among falconers for its hunting prowess
3. A member of the genus Falco, distinguished by its agile flight and hunting efficiency, making it popular in falconry

Etymology: "Lanners" is the plural of "lanner," a falcon found in southern Europe, North Africa and parts of Asia, prized by falconers for its speed and skill in the chase. The name reaches English from Middle French "lanier," which carried a surprising sense: "cowardly." Falconers who saw the bird in the field may have thought it timid, though the reason for the insult is not recorded. The French word is possibly derived from Latin "lānārius," meaning "of wool" or "woolworker," a link that remains uncertain. Some scholars have tied the bird's name to the wool-related Latin root, but the connection is not firmly established, and the path from a woolworker to a cowardly falcon is unclear.