gannet

noun

gan·​net ˈga-nət 

plural gannets also gannet

: any of a genus (Morus of the family Sulidae, the gannet family) of large fish-eating seabirds that breed in colonies chiefly on offshore islands

Did you know?

There are three oceanic bird species called gannet. They are found in the North Atlantic, where they are the largest seabirds, and in temperate seas around Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. The adults are mainly white with black-tipped wing feathers and a large, yellowish or buff-colored head, with black around the eyes. They have a tapered beak and pointed tail. They dive with half-closed wings to catch fish and squid. They waddle on land, but are expert fliers, spending most of their lives over water. They nest in dense colonies on cliffs. The largest species is the 40-in (100-cm) northern gannet.

Examples of gannet in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Yet these birds are perhaps more famous for their dramatic hunting behavior, which sees flocks of gannets diving like vertical torpedoes from dozens of feet above the water’s surface. —Liz Lindqwister, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 July 2024

This Atlantic-dwelling gannet subspecies lives up to its name in more ways than one: Taxonomists apparently chose the genus name because of the gannet’s fearlessness when approached on their nesting grounds. —Liz Lindqwister, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 July 2024

Boat rides to Little St. Simon Island give crews the chance to spot spoonbills and gannets. —Lindsay Cohn, Parents, 13 May 2024

This year’s grand prize winner for the World Nature Photographer of the Year is Tracey Lund, for her fantastic shot of two gannets going after the same fish (seen above). —Isaac Schultz / Gizmodo, Quartz, 11 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English ganate, gante, going back to Old English ganot, ganet "a seabird, probably Morus bassanus," going back to Germanic *ganuta- "gander" (whence Middle Dutch ghent "gander," Old High German ganazzo, ganzo), from *gan- (base of *gan-s- "goose") + *-uta-, suffix of animal names — more at goose entry 1

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

gannet

noun

gan·​net ˈgan-ət 

plural gannets also gannet

: any of several large fish-eating seabirds that breed chiefly on offshore islands