stork

[stawrk]

noun

plural

storks ,

plural

stork .

1. any of several wading birds of the family Ciconiidae, having long legs and a long neck and bill.

2. the stork, this bird as the mythical or symbolic deliverer of a new baby.

   My brother and his wife are expecting the stork in July.

stork

/ stɔːk /

noun

1. any large wading bird of the family Ciconiidae, chiefly of warm regions of the Old World, having very long legs and a long stout pointed bill, and typically having a white-and-black plumage: order Ciconiiformes

2. (sometimes capital) a variety of domestic fancy pigeon resembling the fairy swallow

Other Word Forms

• storklike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of stork¹

before 900; Middle English; Old English storc; cognate with German Storch, Old Norse storkr; akin to stark

Word History and Origins

Origin of stork¹

Old English storc; related to Old High German storah, Old Norse storkr, Old English stearc stiff; from the stiff appearance of its legs; see _stark

Example Sentences

The closest relative of the New World vultures, Kendall said, is actually that emblem of motherhood, the stork.

From Salon

In the People story, Steve Doocy, 68, joked that his son had actually been hit by “a stork” and that George had arrived shortly after his son shampooed out any bird goo.

From Los Angeles Times

The researchers in this study also found large footprints from a bird, likely from the giant marabou stork lineage, according to the study.

From Salon

You know, Kevin, when I was growing up, a white stork was a symbol of someone bringing a baby to your front doorstep.

From New York Times

With long legs and large wings, the white stork is a prominent star of the pageant that is animal migration.

From Science Daily