plural ibis or ibises
: any of various chiefly tropical or subtropical wading birds (family Threskiornithidae) related to the herons but distinguished by a long slender downwardly curved bill

Illustration of ibis

Illustration of ibis

Examples of ibis in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Spoonbills and ibises point their bills romantically toward the crescent moon. Douglas Markowitz, Miami Herald, 11 Feb. 2025 In 2002, an Italian ecologist discovered seven migratory northern bald ibises in Syria. Nick Paumgarten, The New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2025 The ibises’ first flight outside the aviary was chaos. Nick Paumgarten, The New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2025 Roosting on the model’s head was a headpiece in the shape of an ibis, which Bensimon said was inspired by both the Vulture crown and the god Thoth. Violet Goldstone, WWD, 14 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ibis

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin, from Greek, from Egyptian hbw

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ibis was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Ibis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ibis. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

ibis

noun
plural ibis or ibises
: any of several wading birds that differ from the related herons in having a long slender bill that curves downward

More from Merriam-Webster on ibis

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