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the nest of a bird of prey, as an eagle or a hawk.
a lofty nest of any large bird.
a house, fortress, or the like, located high on a hill or mountain.
Obsolete. the brood in a nest, especially of a bird of prey.
Historical Examples

In the Fero Isles an Eagle flew away with a child (which its mother had left for a few moments), and bore it off to its aerie.
Reptiles and Birds Louis Figuier

Slowly he climbed the steep and crooked trail to their aerie at the peak.
Foes in Ambush Charles King

Its aerie, which is of considerable dimensions, it builds amongst the most inaccessible rocks.
Reptiles and Birds Louis Figuier

He was in a very eagle’s aerie; the upper rim of Khinian’s gorge seemed not more than a quarter of a mile above him.
King–of the Khyber Rifles Talbot Mundy

Seeing the blaze from his aerie on the island, Putnam attacked the fire as he always attacked the enemy, with impetuosity.
“Old Put” The Patriot Frederick A. Ober

If he caught one pointing for his aerie, he would block the way and bid her sternly begone.
The Battle with the Slum Jacob A. Riis.

And yet the croaking of the frogs may reach the eagle’s aerie, and disturb the peace of the heights.
Prison Memoirs of an Anarchist Alexander Berkman

Its aerie is about two yards wide, and is generally situated in the forests bordering on the sea or great lakes.
Reptiles and Birds Louis Figuier

From this aerie Hal could glimpse a bit of the village; the prim church spire; the tiny, far gravestones sleeping on Croft Hill.
Cursed George Allan England

We slept soundly in our cave, and at the earliest dawn clambered back into our aerie.
In the Eastern Seas W.H.G. Kingston

noun
a variant spelling (esp US) of eyrie
n.

“eagle’s nest,” 1580s (attested in Anglo-Latin from early 13c.), from Old French aire “nest,” Medieval Latin area “nest of a bird of prey” (12c.), perhaps from Latin area “level ground, garden bed” [Littré], though some doubt this [Klein]. Another theory connects it to atrium. Formerly misspelled eyrie (1660s) on the mistaken assumption that it derived from Middle English ey “egg.”