Lexical Definition

‎תַּחְמָס‎ tachmâç (takh-mawce') ostrich ^H:N-M
from ‎חָמַס‎

night hawk.

• a species of unclean bird (from its violence), perhaps an owl

1) a ceremonially unclean bird
1a) a name of the male ostrich
1b) (CLBL) probably the great owl
1c) perhaps an extinct bird, exact meaning unknown

Brown-Driver-Briggs

‎תַּחְמָס‎ noun [masculine] name of male ostrich, according to Bo^ii.830 Thes (Thes derives from violence of this bird, compare Arabic violence, also ostrich; other conjectures are: owl ᵐ5 ᵑ9; swallow, Saad: see also Kn in Di) — mentioned as unclean Lev 11:16 (P) Deut 14:15.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References