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 real alleged crimes, detailed in a sprawling 62-count federal indictment, have shaken this rural stretch of the Pelican State—less for the charges than the names of the accused.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026

Nicola Lomax, from Ramsbottom in Lancashire, spotted the copy of The House of the Pelican by Elisabeth Kyle in a charity shop in Keswick, Cumbria, while on a break in the Lake District.

From BBC • Apr. 18, 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

The 18-year-old high school senior, who has signed to play for the University of Miami next year, played the Annika at Pelican tournament in Florida on a sponsor's invitation.

From Barron's • Nov. 14, 2025

So I was really trying not to get sent to visit Principal Peattie again, even though it would almost have been worth it to see the Brown Pelican.

From "Okay for Now" by Gary D. Schmidt