pelican

Pronunciation: /ˈpɛl.ɪ.kən/

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun large long-winged warm-water seabird having a large bill with a distensible pouch for fish

Etymology

From Middle English pellican, pellicane, from Old English pellican (“pelican”), from Latin pelecānus, from Ancient Greek πελεκάν (pelekán), πέλεκυς (pélekus, “hatchet”).

In classic literature

Semantic network

Broader (hypernyms)
pelecaniform seabird
Narrower (hyponyms)
old world white pelican, white pelican

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