Etymology

From Old French esprevier, esprever (compare French épervier), from Old Dutch *sparwari ‎(“sparrow-hawk”, literally “sparrow-eagle”), from Proto-Germanic *sparwaraz ‎(“sparrow-hawk”) (from Proto-Indo-European *sper(w)-, *sper(g)- ‎(“sparrow, bird”)) + Proto-Germanic *arô ‎(“eagle”) (from Proto-Indo-European *er- ‎(“eagle, bird”)).