ibis

noun

ˈī-bəs 

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

Examples of ibis in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

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

Other clay figures—of ibises, dwarfs, and women—were prescribed for other ailments. —Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 12 Jan. 2025

Bald Ibis Migration Each fall, when the days grow shorter and the weather cooler, the ibises’ migratory instinct kicks in, priming them to seek out a warmer climate to spend the winter. —Carin Leong, Scientific American, 16 Oct. 2024

Back from the brink: The northern bald ibis, considered one of the rarest birds in the world, has rebounded thanks to tenacious conservation efforts. —Daniel Wine, CNN, 30 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

ibis

noun

ˈī-bəs 

plural ibis or ibises

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