: any of various herons that bear long plumes during the breeding season
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Nesting waterbirds Herons, egrets and pelicans are putting on quite a show in mangroves and tree islands throughout South Florida.—Lois K. Solomon, Sun Sentinel, 21 Mar. 2026 Charles’ spellbinding 1986 concert was made all the more memorable by the large egret that landed in a palm tree next to the stage and began bedding down for the night.—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Mar. 2026 Birders will appreciate the abundance of egrets, ibis, and pelicans here too.—Pam Leblanc, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Mar. 2026 From inlets covered in neon-green algae, snow-white egrets took flight over ships stacked with thousands of brightly colored containers—imagine a mash-up of Gauguin and Mondrian.—John Bowe, Travel + Leisure, 1 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for egret
Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Old Occitan *aigreta, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German heigaro heron