Spanish word

pelícano

Pronunciation

IPA/peˈlikano/

Meaning

  • masculine nounpelican

Example

Vi un pelícano cerca del puerto.

I saw a pelican near the harbor.

Illustration for pelícano (pelican)

More examples

El pelícano abrió su pico para atrapar un pez.

The pelican opened its beak to catch a fish.

Core concept

Big seaside bird with a long bill and an expandable gular pouch.

Common phrases

  • ver un pelícano

    see a pelican

  • pico del pelícano

    pelican's beak

Similar words

gaviota: White shore bird that flies or walks along coasts and frequently scavenges human scraps.
garza: Long-necked, thin wading bird that hunts small fish by waiting motionless in shallow water.
cormorán: Dark coastal bird that dives and swims beneath the surface to catch fish and then dries out.
pato: Compact waterbird that paddles with webbed feet and feeds on grasses, insects, or small fish.

Definition in Spanish

Ave grande que vive en las costas y que atrapa peces usando una bolsa bajo el pico.

Word origin

Spanish pelícano comes from Latin pelecanus, which in turn comes from Greek pelekanos, the classical term for this fish-catching bird.

Usage tips

  • The noun is grammatically masculine (el/un pelícano) even when referring to a female bird, with pelícana used when the sex is explicitly female.

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