gannet

American

[gan-it] / ˈgæn ɪt /

noun

any large, web-footed, seabird of the family Sulidae, having a sharply pointed bill, long wings, and a wedge-shaped tail, noted for its plunging dives for fish.

gannet British

/ ˈɡænɪt /

noun

any of several heavily built marine birds of the genus Morus (or Sula ), having a long stout bill and typically white plumage with dark markings: family Sulidae, order Pelecaniformes (pelicans, cormorants, etc) See also booby
slang a gluttonous or greedy person

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of gannet

before 900; Middle English; Old English ganot; akin to Dutch gent gander

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He said he returned for more trips on Monday and the seabird, related to the Gannet species, was still there.

From BBC • Aug. 16, 2023

Gannet aims to expand that number to 10 million by the end of 2025, while holding on to its remaining print readership.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 19, 2021

Gannet, a British warship that helped stamp out the slave trade.

From The New Yorker • May 20, 2016

At its sister base, HMS Gannet near Glasgow, there are about 27 Navy personnel and Royal Marines and another 75 civilians.

From The Guardian • Jan. 31, 2013

This much did I see from the dockyard wall, for the Gannet was lying at anchor in the harbour.

From A Lad of Grit A Story of Adventure on Land and Sea in Restoration Times by Westerman, Percy F. (Percy Francis)

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023