pelican

American  

[pel-i-kuhn] / ˈpɛl ɪ kən /

noun

pelicans plural

1. any of several large, totipalmate, fish-eating birds of the family Pelecanidae, having a large bill with a distensible pouch.

2. a still or retort with two tubes that leave the body from the neck, curve in opposite directions, and reenter the body through the belly.

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pelican British  

/ ˈpɛlɪkən /

noun

1. any aquatic bird of the tropical and warm water family Pelecanidae, such as P. onocrotalus ( white pelican ): order Pelecaniformes. They have a long straight flattened bill, with a distensible pouch for engulfing fish

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• pelicans
  plural

Etymology

Origin of pelican

before 1000; Middle English pellican, Old English < Late Latin pelicānus, variant of pelecān < Greek pelekā́n

Explanation

A pelican is a huge waterbird with an enormous pouch under its long beak. Pelicans prefer warm places, and Florida is a great place to see both white and brown varieties. Pelican comes from Greek roots, pelekan and pelekys, "ax," which somewhat describes the shape of a pelican's bill, with its downturned hook at the end. The most distinctive thing about a pelican is its throat pouch, which it efficiently uses to scoop up fish and drain water before swallowing. The brown pelican is the state bird of Louisiana, a fact that inspired the name of New Orleans' NBA team, the Pelicans.

Example Sentences

The House of the Pelican by Elisabeth Kyle, tells the story of Janet, who cannot find the way back to the house where an old man showed her a valuable gold musical box.

From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026

Seven years later, Gonzales was transferred to Pelican Bay State Prison’s Security Housing Unit, then the most restrictive facility in California, where he was held in solitary confinement for about 25 years.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 5, 2026

All 52 titles—including his 1991 breakout hit “The Firm,” “The Pelican Brief” and “The Rainmaker,” as well as a children’s series—have been No. 1 bestsellers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 30, 2026

“This is the greatest capitalist system in the history of mankind,” said Mike Scott, founder of private-equity firm Pelican Energy Partners.

From Barron's • Jan. 28, 2026

He turned around to the Brown Pelican, and then he looked back at me.

From "Okay for Now" by Gary D. Schmidt