ibis

[ ahy-bis ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

, plural i·bis·es, (especially collectively) i·bis.

any of several large wading birds of the family Threskiornithidae, of warm temperate and tropical regions, related to the herons and storks, and characterized by a long, thin, downward-curved bill. Compare sacred ibis.
any of certain similar birds belonging to the stork family Ciconiidae, especially the wood stork, Mycteria americana.

ibis

/ ˈaɪbɪs /

See wood ibis
any of various wading birds of the family Threskiornithidae, such as Threskiornis aethiopica ( sacred ibis ), that occur in warm regions and have a long thin down-curved bill: order Ciconiiformes (herons, storks, etc) Compare wood ibis

Origin of ibis¹

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin ībis < Greek îbis < Egyptian hb

Origin of ibis¹

C14: via Latin from Greek, from Egyptian hby

In addition to two tigers there is the elephant, the dog, the bear, an ibis.

We saw plenty of birds on our way; among them the white ibis, the white heron, the snake-bird, and vulture.

"Yes; these are mostly pictures of Egypt;" and the ibis led him to a long discourse on the Egyptian campaign.

They also saw two species of ibis wading about in the marsh, and a gigantic water-hen almost as big as a turkey.

Were any one to kill a stork, he would be pursued like an Egyptian of old for killing an ibis, or for fricaseeing a cat.

The glossy ibis is often called bronze curlew, but this is a bad misnomer, as they are in no way related to the curlew.

April 19, 2024tortuous

[tawr-choo-uhs ]

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