heron

noun

her·​on ˈher-ən 

ˈhe-rən

plural herons also heron

: any of various long-necked and long-legged wading birds (family Ardeidae) with a long tapering bill, large wings, and soft plumage

Examples of heron in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Stretch your legs with a stroll along the Anhinga Trail, where herons and turtles gather at the water’s edge, or, if time allows, hop on an airboat tour to glide through the heart of the marshes and spot alligators in their natural habitat. —Symiah Dorsey, Southern Living, 24 May 2025

Rent a kayak or paddleboard and glide along the shore, watching for herons and turtles. —West Virginia Tourism, AFAR Media, 15 May 2025

On a recent morning at the Lincoln Park Pritzker Family Children’s Zoo, the treetops teemed with innocuous nests where pointed bills gave away the resting herons inside. —Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 4 June 2025

In the English dub of Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron, Pattinson lends the heron an unsavory croak. —Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English heiroun, hayroun, from Anglo-French heiron, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German heigaro heron

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing heron

• black-crowned night heron
• blue heron
• great blue heron
• great white heron
• green heron
• night heron

Rhymes for heron

• burin
• charon
• herren
• karen
• marron
• perron
• terran
• acheron
• operon
• percheron
• polaron
• lactoferrin

Kids Definition

heron

noun

her·​on ˈher-ən 

plural herons also heron

: any of various wading birds with a long neck, long legs, a long thin bill and large wings