hornbill

American  

[hawrn-bil] / ˈhɔrnˌbɪl /

noun

1. any large bird of the family Bucerotidae, of the Old World tropics, characterized by a very large bill usually surmounted by a horny protuberance.

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hornbill British  

/ ˈhɔːnˌbɪl /

noun

1. any bird of the family Bucerotidae of tropical Africa and Asia, having a very large bill with a basal bony protuberance: order Coraciiformes (kingfishers, etc)

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Etymology

Origin of hornbill

First recorded in 1765–75; horn + bill ²

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

hornbill

The flower’s fruit is the favored food of the rhinocerus hornbill but is toxic to humans, Tam said, so don’t try to sample it.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 11, 2024

The Sungai Utik community of western Borneo are stewards of a 10,000-hectare tract of forest that is home to numerous species, including the critically endangered helmeted hornbill.

From National Geographic ● Jan. 25, 2024

Earlier this year, ZooTampa in Florida teamed up with similar experts to successfully replace the beak of a cancer-stricken great hornbill bird with a 3D-printed prosthetic.

From Seattle Times ● May 13, 2022

Last Week Tonight talk show host John Oliver will play the hornbill Zazu, originally voiced by Rowan Atkinson, while Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen will play the comical meerkat and warthog team, Timon and Pumbaa.

From The Guardian ● Nov. 1, 2017

The dassies twittered, A ground hornbill uttered its low, panting call.

From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer