ibis

[ahy-bis]

noun

plural

ibises ,

plural

ibis .

1. any of several large wading birds of the family Threskiornithidae, of warm temperate and tropical regions, related to the herons and storks, and characterized by a long, thin, downward-curved bill.

2. any of certain similar birds belonging to the stork family Ciconiidae, especially the wood stork, Mycteria americana.

ibis

/ ˈaɪbɪs /

noun

1. any of various wading birds of the family Threskiornithidae, such as Threskiornis aethiopica ( sacred ibis ), that occur in warm regions and have a long thin down-curved bill: order Ciconiiformes (herons, storks, etc) Compare wood ibis

Word History and Origins

Origin of ibis¹

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin ībis < Greek îbis < Egyptian hb

Word History and Origins

Origin of ibis¹

C14: via Latin from Greek, from Egyptian hby