barn owl

noun

: a widely distributed owl (Tyto alba) that has plumage mottled buff brown and gray above and chiefly white below, frequents barns and other buildings, and preys especially on rodents

Examples of barn owl in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Before the recent barn owl sightings, Williams and her husband heard periodic screeching noises outside going back to early September. — ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026 Williams and her husband were not bird watchers before the barn owl family moved in to the water tower. — Joseph B. Frederick, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2026 According to New York City's Parks Department, barn owls are an extremely rare sight. — Nick Caloway, CBS News, 12 Oct. 2026 North Carolina’s wildlife version of a reality TV series took a dark turn this week when one of the stars – a juvenile barn owl – was killed. — Mark Price june 25, Charlotte Observer, 25 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for barn owl

Word History

First Known Use

1674, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of barn owl was in 1674

Rhymes for barn owl

See All Rhymes for barn owl

Browse Nearby Words

barnman
barn owl
barn raising
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Barn owl.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barn%20owl. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

barn owl

noun
: a widely distributed owl with brown, gray, and white feathers that is found near barns and other buildings and preys especially on rodents

More from Merriam-Webster on barn owl

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about barn owl

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of compunction

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All