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

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

The helmeted hornbill is another one: critically endangered owing to land clearing for palm oil plantations, and poaching for its magnificent red ivory casque.

From The Guardian • Sep. 30, 2019

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

From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer