Adjacent Words

Gannet definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

GAN'NET, n. The Solan Goose, a fowl of the genus Pelicanus, about seven pounds in weight, with a straight bill, six inches long, and palmated feet. These fowls frequent the isles of Scotland in summer, and feed chiefly on herrings.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: large heavily built seabird with a long stout bill noted for its plunging dives for fish

Merriam Webster's

noun (plural gannets; also gannet) Etymology: Middle English ganet, from Old English ganot; akin to Old English g?s goose Date: before 12th century any of a genus (Morus of the family Sulidae, the gannet family) of large fish-eating seabirds that breed in colonies chiefly on offshore islands

Britannica Concise

Any of three oceanic bird species (family Sulidae) closely related to the boobies. Gannets are found in the N. Atlantic, where they are the largest seabirds, and in temperate waters around Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. Adults are mainly white with black-tipped wing feathers and a large, yellowish or buff-colored head marked with black around the eyes. They have a tapered beak and pointed tail. They dive with half-closed wings to catch fish and squid. They waddle on land but are expert fliers, spending most of their lives over water. They nest in dense colonies on cliffs. The largest species is the 40-in. (100-cm) northern gannet.

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 any sea bird of the genus Sula, esp. Sula bassana, catching fish by plunge-diving. 2 sl. a greedy person. Derivatives: gannetry n. (pl. -ies). Etymology: OE ganot f. Gmc, rel. to GANDER

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Gannet Gan"net, n. [OE. gant, AS. ganet, ganot, a sea fowl, a fen duck; akin to D. gent gander, OHG. ganazzo. See Gander, Goose.] (Zo["o]l.) One of several species of sea birds of the genus Sula, allied to the pelicans. Note: The common gannet of Europe and America (S. bassana), is also called solan goose, chandel goose, and gentleman. In Florida the wood ibis is commonly called gannet. Booby gannet. See Sula.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(gannets) Gannets are large white sea birds that live on cliffs. N-COUNT

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. Solan-goose, noddy, booby (Sula bassana).