épervier

From Middle French esprevier, from Old French esprevier, esprever, from Old Dutch *sparwari (“sparrow-hawk”, literally “sparrow-eagle”), from Proto-Germanic *sparwaraz (“sparrow-hawk”) (from Proto-Indo-European *sper(w)-, *sper(g)- (“sparrow, bird”)) + Proto-Germanic *arô (“eagle”) (from Proto-Indo-European *er- (“eagle, bird”)). Cognate with Old High German sparwari (“sparrow-hawk”) (whence German Sperbe), Middle Dutch sperware (“sparrow-hawk”) (whence Dutch sperwer), Middle Low German sperwere, sperwer, sparwere, sparwer (“sparrow-hawk”). Compare also Italian sparviere. See also sparrow hawk.

• IPA^(key): /e.pɛʁ.vje/

épervier m (plural éperviers)

1. sparrow hawk

épervier (feminine singular épervière, masculine plural éperviers, feminine plural épervières)

1. sparrow hawk (attributive)

• “épervier” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).