1 ibis | Definition of ibis

ibis

noun
\ ˈī-bəs How to pronounce ibis (audio) \
plural ibis or ibises

Definition of ibis

: 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

Fans roared at the thought of cartoonishly murdering a team of fearsome reptiles, as if Miami's mascot -- which is not actually a hurricane, but a bird called an ibis -- could claw through the carnivore's armor-plated skin. Scottie Andrew, CNN, "Not hyped for the return of college football? Michael Irvin's epic speech should do the trick," 24 Aug. 2019 Allen’s Pond Sanctuary in Westport: There were three ruddy turnstones, a stilt sandpiper, three white-rumped sandpipers, two little blue herons, and 14 glossy ibises. BostonGlobe.com, "Bird sightings across the region," 11 Aug. 2019 The Indigo Trail is another popular birding site, where at certain parts of the four-mile trail birds like ibises and colorful roseate spoonbills can be seen. Visit Florida, Discover Magazine, "THE BEACHES OF FORT MYERS & SANIBEL: Reconnect with nature," 11 June 2019 Birds of a feather Tour the aviary kitchen, then feed different types of birds, including terns, ibis and ducks. Amy Schwabe, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "You can train tigers, feed birds and climb to the top of a giant aquarium at the zoo's new tours," 31 July 2019 This peaceful place where the Río San José meets the ocean draws some 200 species of resident and migratory birds including wood storks, pelicans, egrets, herons, ibises, and hawks. Jenny Peters, National Geographic, "Baja California Sur: The ultimate road trip," 25 July 2019 The Indigo Trail is another popular birding site, where at certain parts of the four-mile trail birds like ibises and colorful roseate spoonbills can be seen. Visit Florida, Discover Magazine, "THE BEACHES OF FORT MYERS & SANIBEL: Reconnect with nature," 11 June 2019 Birds like woodpeckers, heron, egrets, ibis, coots, ducks and osprey can be found in the park along with alligators, otters and manatees. Patrick Connolly, orlandosentinel.com, "Florida Springs Guide: De Leon Springs State Park," 10 July 2019 The Indigo Trail is another popular birding site, where at certain parts of the four-mile trail birds like ibises and colorful roseate spoonbills can be seen. Visit Florida, Discover Magazine, "THE BEACHES OF FORT MYERS & SANIBEL: Reconnect with nature," 11 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ibis.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

See More

First Known Use of ibis

14th century, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for ibis

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

Keep scrolling for more

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for ibis

ibis

noun

English Language Learners Definition of ibis

: a tall bird that has long legs and a long bill that curves downward

ibis

noun
\ ˈī-bəs How to pronounce ibis (audio) \
plural ibis or ibises

Kids Definition of ibis

: a tall bird related to the herons with long legs and a slender bill that curves down

Keep scrolling for more

More from Merriam-Webster on ibis

Spanish Central: Translation of ibis

Nglish: Translation of ibis for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about ibis