# hawk

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈhɔːk/ · frequency rank #9,477

## Definitions
1. A diurnal predatory bird of the family Accipitridae, smaller than an eagle.
2. Any diurnal predatory terrestrial bird of similar size and appearance to the accipitrid hawks, such as a falcon.
3. Any of various species of dragonfly of the genera Apocordulia and Austrocordulia, endemic to Australia.
4. An advocate of aggressive political positions and actions.
5. An uncooperative or purely selfish participant in an exchange or game, especially when untrusting, acquisitive or treacherous. Refers specifically to the prisoner's dilemma, a.k.a. the Hawk-Dove game.
6. Cold, sharp or biting wind.

## Etymology
From Middle English hauk, hauke, hawke, havek, from Old English hafoc (“hawk”), from Proto-West Germanic *habuk, from Proto-Germanic *habukaz, controversially derived from Proto-Indo-European *kopuǵos, perhaps ultimately derived from *kap- (“seize”).
See also West Frisian hauk, German Low German Haavke, Dutch havik, German Habicht, Swedish hök, Danish høg, Norwegian Bokmål hauk, Norwegian Nynorsk hauk, Faroese heykur, Icelandic haukur, Finnish haukka, Estonian haugas; also Latin capys, capus (“bird of prey”), Albanian gabonjë, shkabë (“eagle”), Russian ко́бец (kóbec, “falcon”), Polish kobuz (“Eurasian Hobby”)).

## Easily confused with
- **HK** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hawk-vs-hk)
- **how** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hawk-vs-how)
- **hay** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hawk-vs-hay)
- **hwy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hawk-vs-hwy)
- **Huw** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hawk-vs-huw)
- **hew** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hawk-vs-hew)
- **HRW** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hawk-vs-hrw)
- **hook** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hawk-vs-hook)
- **heck** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hawk-vs-heck)
- **hulk** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hawk-vs-hulk)
- **Howe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hawk-vs-howe)
- **haze** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hawk-vs-haze)
- **Hays** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hawk-vs-hays)
- **howl** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hawk-vs-howl)
- **hazy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hawk-vs-hazy)
- **hunk** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hawk-vs-hunk)
- **honk** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hawk-vs-honk)
- **hock** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hawk-vs-hock)
- **husk** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hawk-vs-husk)
- **huck** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hawk-vs-huck)

## Common misspellings (6)
`ahwk`, `hakw`, `hawkk`, `hawwk`, `hhawk`, `hwak`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/hawk