Tercel

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A term used to describe a male bird, especially among raptors, that signifies sexual dimorphism in avian species
2. This designation specifically refers to a young male bird of prey, particularly in falconry, emphasizing its gender-specific traits
3. A male bird, particularly of the falcon family, is indicated by this term, highlighting its role in sexual differentiation among species

Etymology: The word is a diminutive of Latin "tertius", meaning "third", and the reason for that label is a genuine puzzle. One explanation holds that male birds of prey, the hawks and falcons prized in falconry, are roughly a third smaller than their females. The other holds that only about one egg in three was thought to produce a male. Sources disagree, so both stories remain in circulation. The path into English ran through Old French "terçuel", which was itself formed from Late Latin "tertiolus", a little "third". Middle English adopted it as "tercel", and the spelling "tiercel" later arose in English as well. Both forms are still listed, though "tercel" is the simpler one.