toucan

noun

tou·​can ˈtü-ˌkan 

-ˌkän, 

tü-ˈkan, 

-ˈkän 

: any of a family (Ramphastidae) of chiefly fruit-eating birds of tropical America with brilliant coloring and a very large but light and thin-walled bill

Examples of toucan in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Protected by the Guarani for generations, towering trees rise here as toucans and other birds fly through the canopy and coatis — a mammal in the raccoon family — roam the forest floor. — Marina Dias, Washington Post, 2 Sep. 2026

In a country whose hiking infrastructure is still nascent, the trail is helping to preserve green space and offering visitors the opportunity to see wildlife like monkeys, marmosets, coatis, sloths, and toucans. — Gloria Liu, Travel + Leisure, 20 July 2026

Macaws, toucans and tanagers are among Colombia's 1,900 avian species, more than any other country. — John Otis, NPR, 30 May 2026

Birds from both environments, like scarlet macaws, toucans and herons, live here. — Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 27 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

French, from Portuguese tucano, from Tupi tukána

First Known Use

1568, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for toucan

• glucan
• lukan
• interleukin

Kids Definition

toucan

noun

tou·​can ˈtü-ˌkan  tü-ˈkan 

: any of a family of mostly fruit-eating birds of tropical America with brilliant coloring and a very large but light bill