noun
pelican
PEHL-ih-kuhn
noun
1
A large water bird with a long bill and a stretchy throat pouch used for catching fish.
"A pelican dove into the harbor and came up with a fish in its pouch."
"Pelicans often fly in a line low over the waves."
How to Use Pelican
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA large seabird known for the pouch under its long bill.
Common pairings
pelican pouch
flock of pelicans
Word Forms
pelicans plural
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A _____ dove into the harbor and came up with a fish in its pouch.
Etymology
From Greek pelekan, related to pelekus ("hatchet"), possibly describing the shape of its bill.