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

Backers are awaiting guidance from the city of San Diego on the size of the boulders and pelicans. —Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Apr. 2025

As winds churn up cold water off the Southern California coast, sediment rich in nutrients is swirled up from the ocean floor and becomes feed for smaller creatures in the water who are eaten by larger ones like pelicans, whales and all kinds of fish. —Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 7 Apr. 2025

The lakes were all frozen in April 2021, cutting off the pelicans’ food supply. —Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 18 Mar. 2025

Dawn has just broken, pods of pelicans fly overhead, and sea lions bark from the nearby harbor. —Byrd Pinkerton, Vox, 1 Apr. 2025

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