English Explanatory Dictionary

egret

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Any of various wading birds of the genera Egretta or Ardea that includes herons, many of which are white or buff, and several of which develop fine plumes during the breeding season.
  2. A plume or tuft of feathers worn as a part of a headdress, or anything imitating such an ornament.
  3. The flying feathery or hairy crown of seeds or achenes, such as the down of the thistle.
  4. The crab-eating macaque (Macaca fascicularis)

Pronunciation

/ˈiːɡɹɪt/ /ˈiɡɹɪt/ /ˈiˌɡɹɛt/ /iˈɡɹɛt/ /ˈɛɡɹɪt/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-egret.wav

Word forms

egret egrets

Etymology

From Middle English, from Anglo-Norman egret, aigrette (“egret”), from Old Occitan aigreta, diminutive of aigron (“heron”), from Medieval Latin hairo, from Frankish *haigro (“heron”). Cognate with Old High German heigaro (“heron”), Old English hrāgra (“heron”). Doublet of aigrette. More at heron.

Synonyms

aigrette

Related words

aigrette heron

Derived words

cattle egret common egret egretlike egretry great egret great white egret intermediate egret large egret little egret median egret reddish egret snowy egret western cattle egret yellow-billed egret
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