TIERCEL

{ Tier″cel (?), Tierce″let (?), } n. [[OE. tercel, tercelet, F. tiercelet, a dim. of (assumed) tiercel, or LL. tertiolus, dim. fr. L. tertius the third; — so called, according to some, because every third bird in the nest is a male, or, according to others, because the male is the third part less than female. Cf. Tercel.]] (Falconry) The male of various falcons, esp. of the peregrine; also, the male of the goshawk. Encyc. Brit.