toucan

noun

tou·​can ˈtü-ˌkan 

-ˌkän,

tü-ˈkan,

-ˈkän 

: any of a family (Ramphastidae) of chiefly fruit-eating birds of tropical America with brilliant coloring and a very large but light and thin-walled bill

Examples of toucan in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Head with a guide (from $90 a person, minimum four people) on a small powerboat into mangrove forests filled with manatees, crocodiles, giant iguanas, and toucans. —Graham Averill, Outside Online, 7 May 2022

This is a design created by Caroline Scheufele, its naturalistic theme – replete with salamanders, toucans and leopards – a nod to the brand's Animal World collection of jewellery. —Felix Bischof, theweek, 14 Oct. 2024

Ancon Hill is a more casual trek but just as much a walking safari: Keep an eye out for toucans, poison dart frogs, and charming cat-size rodents called agoutis. —Matt Ortile, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Aug. 2024

Then there's a fennec fox, a skunk, four prairie dogs, a ton of parrots, hornbills, toucans, cockatoos and a bunch of tortoises. —Angela Andaloro, Peoplemag, 13 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

French, from Portuguese tucano, from Tupi tukána

First Known Use

1568, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

toucan

noun

tou·​can ˈtü-ˌkan  tü-ˈkan 

: any of a family of mostly fruit-eating birds of tropical America with brilliant coloring and a very large but light bill