pelican
n. countable B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈpɛɫəkən// UK //pˈɛlɪkən// pel·i·can
n. a large water bird with a very long beak and a big throat pouch used for catching fish.
n. a large gregarious waterbird of the family Pelecanidae, characterised by a long bill and a distensible gular pouch used for scooping up fish.
The pelican dived into the water to catch a fish.
We watched a pelican perched on the pier, waiting for the fishing boats to return with their daily catch.
The brown pelican is a remarkable example of conservation success, having recovered from near extinction caused by pesticide contamination in the mid-twentieth century.
From Middle English pellican, pellicane, from Old English pellican (“pelican”), from Latin pelecānus, from Ancient Greek πελεκάν (pelekán), πέλεκυς (pélekus, “hatchet”).