heron

noun

her·​on ˈher-ən 

ˈhe-rən

plural herons also heron

: any of various long-necked and long-legged wading birds (family Ardeidae) with a long tapering bill, large wings, and soft plumage

Examples of heron in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Spot local heron species, barn owls, wood ducks and more. —Hema Sivanandam, Mercury News, 9 Mar. 2026

Watch dunlins, piping plovers, herons, osprey, and even bald eagles make the mangroves and coastal pines their warm-weather home. —Kelsey Glennon, Southern Living, 27 Feb. 2026

Lead author Paul Sereno compared them to herons, which also hunt for fish in shallow water and have bodies that are well-suited to semi-aquatic living. —Rebecca Hersher, NPR, 22 Feb. 2026

The quiet is broken only by the swoop of herons and, less poetically, the occasional 737 descending into the nearby airport, which the waterway loops around with indifference. —Phil Thomas, Travel + Leisure, 1 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English heiroun, hayroun, from Anglo-French heiron, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German heigaro heron

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing heron

• black-crowned night heron
• blue heron
• great blue heron
• great white heron
• green heron
• night heron

Rhymes for heron

• burin
• charon
• herren
• karen
• marron
• perron
• terran
• acheron
• operon
• percheron
• polaron
• lactoferrin

Kids Definition

heron

noun

her·​on ˈher-ən 

plural herons also heron

: any of various wading birds with a long neck, long legs, a long thin bill and large wings