Meaning
owl
- a nocturnal bird of prey with large forward-facing eyes and prominent ear tufts
- a jinx, a person believed to bring bad luck, or an unsociable person (figurative)
In a sentence
Di notte abbiamo sentito il verso di un gufo nel bosco.
At night we heard the call of an owl in the woods.
Non fare il gufo: vedrai che supereremo l'esame senza problemi.
Don't be a jinx: you'll see we will pass the exam with no trouble.
I gufi cacciano soprattutto piccoli roditori durante la notte.
Owls mainly hunt small rodents during the night.
Word forms (2)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| gufo | masculine · singular |
| gufi | masculine · plural |
Usage notes
- Distinct from civetta (little owl, without ear tufts). Figuratively, gufare means 'to jinx'.