pelican

noun

pel·​i·​can ˈpe-li-kən 

: any of a genus (Pelecanus) of large web-footed fish-eating birds with a very large bill and distensible gular pouch

Examples of pelican in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Seeing the bluffs and watching for wildlife from below—bald eagles and pelicans make regular appearances—gives a totally different perspective, and this stretch of river is calm with no current. — Taryn Shorr-McKee, Midwest Living, 20 Sep. 2026

Tigertail is also considered one of the best birding sites in Southwest Florida, so bring your binoculars and prepare to spot osprey, herons, bald eagles, and pelicans galore. — Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 4 Sep. 2026

Already this year, Reuters has reported hungry pelicans in Peru. — Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 30 July 2026

For millennia, millions of seabirds, including guanay cormorants, Peruvian boobies and pelicans, had nested on rocky outcrops along South America’s arid Pacific coast. — Edward D. Melillo, Fortune, 27 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English pellican, from Late Latin pelecanus, from Greek pelekan

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing pelican

• brown pelican
• pelican crossing

Kids Definition

pelican

noun

pel·​i·​can ˈpel-i-kən 

: any of a genus of large web-footed birds with a very large bill having a pouch on the lower part used to scoop in fish for food