Buteo
/ˈbjuːti.oʊ/noun
A genus of medium to large birds of prey, especially hawks and buzzards.
Did you know?Buteo is a classical Latin bird name, and its exact origin is uncertain, which is why it feels like one of those old words that survived more as a sound of power than a neatly explained label.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Latin
Latin
buteo
“a hawk or buzzard”
Late Latin
Latin
buteo
“a bird of prey, especially a buzzard”
Middle French
Old French
busard
“buzzard”
Middle English
English
bussard
“buzzard”
Modern English
English
Buteo
“a genus of hawks and buzzards”