ibis

American  

[ahy-bis] / ˈaɪ bɪs /

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.

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ibis British  

/ 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

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Etymology

Origin of ibis

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

Example Sentences

More than a hundred bird species, including ducks, geese, terns, ibis, herons, eagles and vultures, had been recorded in the area, alongside monkeys and small mammals.

From Barron's • Feb. 19, 2026

The bird species included tawny frogmouths, laughing kookaburras, blue-faced honeyeaters, rainbow lorikeets, spotted doves and Brisbane favourite, the Australian white ibis.

From Science Daily • Dec. 8, 2023

Hence Emily Vincent's surprise when members of the community started sending her pictures and videos of ibis "playing" with the amphibians.

From BBC • Nov. 24, 2022

There’s Rameses the ram from North Carolina, Sebastian the ibis from Miami, the stuffed version of Bevo from Texas.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 28, 2022

On the plinth, the accompaniments of the river,—the ibis, crocodile, hippopotamus, &c., are represented.

From Walks in Rome by Hare, Augustus J. C.