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Definition of pelican

pelican

/ˈpɛlɪkən/
pel · i · can
Plural:pelicans
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pelican Lexical Profile

pelican Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A large, heavily built water bird of the family Pelecanidae, native to temperate and tropical regions worldwide, characterized by a long beak and a massive throat pouch used for catching fish and draining water before swallowing.

Example

"The pelican swooped down to the ocean's surface, scooping a large fish into its expandable throat pouch."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for pelican

• Nearby Words

pelargonium
pelecanimimus
pelee
pelican
pelican eel
pellet
pelvoux

Word Origin & Etymology

From Late Latin pelicanus, derived from Ancient Greek pelekán, which is likely related to pélekys, meaning 'axe', in reference to the bird's large, pointed bill.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Pelican. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 15, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/pelican
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