owlish

[ ou-lish ]

/ ˈaʊ lɪʃ /

resembling or characteristic of an owl: His thick glasses give him an owlish appearance.

Origin of owlish

First recorded in 1605–15; owl + -ish¹

owl·ish·ly, adjective owl·ish·ness, noun

Lucca stood off at a little distance studying him owlishly for a minute or two as he was chatting to me in the wings.

Memoirs of an American Prima Donna |Clara Louise Kellogg
Trenchard shut one eye and owlishly surveyed his companion with the other.

Mistress Wilding |Rafael Sabatini
Perhaps she noticed him jump, for she stopped at once and stared at him owlishly.

Sinister Street, vol. 2 |Compton Mackenzie
Dogs barked at him, for he was a stranger in his own camp; children, playing in the dust, gazed upon him owlishly.

The Valley of the Giants |Peter B. Kyne

"You never can tell what will interest a woman," said Merrihew owlishly.

The Lure of the Mask |Harold MacGrath

owlish

/ (ˈaʊlɪʃ) /

like an owl

solemn and wise in appearance

owlishly, adverb owlishness, noun