ENGLISH
REFERENCE

ibis

n.
C2 Proficiency US //ˈaɪbəs// UK //ˈaɪbɪs// ibis

n. a large bird with a long, curved beak and long legs. You often see them in wet areas like marshes or near water.

n. any of several large, long-legged wading birds of the family Threskiornithidae, characterized by a long, curved bill and a distinctive, often bare, facial skin.


SIMPLE

The ibis stands in the shallow water looking for food.

CONTEXTUAL

Photographers often travel to the wetlands to capture images of the black-headed ibis during its breeding season.

COMPLEX

The ancient Egyptians revered the ibis as a sacred symbol of the god Thoth, associating its long beak with the pen used for writing.

Origin

Mentioned in the Wycliffe Bible as ybyn or ibin, as ibys from 16th century and ibis shortly after. From Latin ībis, from Ancient Greek ἶβις (îbis), from Egyptian h-b-G26 (hbj) (compare Coptic ϩⲓⲃⲱⲓ (hibōi) or ϩⲓⲡ (hip)).

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