# guano

/ˈɡwɑˌnoʊ/ (US) · /ɡwˈɑːnəʊ/ (UK) · CEFR C2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/guano
Updated: 2026-10-18

## Definition

dried waste from sea birds or bats that farmers use to help plants grow because it is very rich in nutrients.

For teachers: accumulated excrement of seabirds or bats, valued as a nitrogen- and phosphate-rich fertilizer.

## Examples

- Farmers use guano to help their crops grow.
- The island workers collect guano from the cliffs to sell as natural fertilizer.
- Centuries of seabird guano built thick deposits on the coastal rocks, creating a fertilizer so rich that nations once fought to control it.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.