per·e·grine / ˈperəgrin/ • n. (also peregrine falcon) a powerful falcon (Falco peregrinus) found on most continents, breeding chiefly on mountains and coastal cliffs and much used for falconry. • adj. archaic coming from another country; foreign or outlandish: peregrine species of grass.ORIGIN: late Middle English: from Latin peregrinus ‘foreign,’ from peregre ‘abroad,’ from per- ‘through’ + ager ‘field.’

peregrine species of falcon esteemed for hawking XIV; foreign, outlandish XVI. In the first use repr. (O)F. faucon pèlerin, medL. falcō peregrīnus, so named because the young were caught in their passage from the breeding-place; in other uses directly — L. peregrīnus foreign, f. pereger that is abroad or on a journey, f. PER-1 + ager territory, country; see -INE1.

pelerine mantle, cape. XVIII. — F. pèlerine deep collar on a mantle, fem. of pèlerin PILGRIM.