Illustration of hornbill
hornbill
noun
horn·bill
ˈhȯrn-ˌbil 
: any of a family (Bucerotidae) of large nonpasserine birds of Africa and Eurasia having enormous bills
Examples of hornbill in a Sentence
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The animals sent back included 11 lemurs, an albino Burmese python, giraffes, a pack of sheep, a pair of sacred ibises, two llamas, tamarins, a kookaburra, a gibbon, capuchins, several parrots, three ground hornbills, three cockatoos, a serval, a Poitou donkey, and a macaw.
—
Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 27 Nov. 2025
The ornamentation found on the beaks and tops of heads of hornbills are a structure similar to the casque on the cassowary, a bird species found in New Guinea and Australia.
—Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 13 Nov. 2025
From the haunting call of the Indian paradise flycatcher to the flash of a Malabar pied hornbill's wings, the park is alive with exciting birds — a paradise for veteran birdwatchers and nascent enthusiasts alike.
—Marion Miller, Travel + Leisure, 10 Oct. 2025
Nestled along the sandy shores of Siloso Beach, the resort is adorned in tropical greenery, while peacocks wander freely across the gardens, hornbills perch in the frangipani trees and dinosaur-like monitor lizards sunbathe by breakfast tables.
—Nicole Trilivas, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
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Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 27 Nov. 2025
The ornamentation found on the beaks and tops of heads of hornbills are a structure similar to the casque on the cassowary, a bird species found in New Guinea and Australia.
—Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 13 Nov. 2025
From the haunting call of the Indian paradise flycatcher to the flash of a Malabar pied hornbill's wings, the park is alive with exciting birds — a paradise for veteran birdwatchers and nascent enthusiasts alike.
—Marion Miller, Travel + Leisure, 10 Oct. 2025
Nestled along the sandy shores of Siloso Beach, the resort is adorned in tropical greenery, while peacocks wander freely across the gardens, hornbills perch in the frangipani trees and dinosaur-like monitor lizards sunbathe by breakfast tables.
—Nicole Trilivas, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hornbill
Cite this Entry
“Hornbill.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hornbill. Accessed 3 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hornbill
noun
horn·bill
-ˌbil
: any of a family of large Old World birds having enormous bills
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