noun
heron
HEH-ruhn
noun
1
A tall wading bird with long legs, a long neck, and a spear-like bill, often seen standing still at the edge of water.
"A heron stood motionless in the shallows, waiting for a fish to swim past."
How to Use Heron
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA long-legged wading bird found near rivers, lakes, and marshes.
Common pairings
a grey heron
a heron wading in the shallows
Word Forms
herons plural
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A _____ stood motionless in the shallows, waiting for a fish to swim past.
Etymology
From Middle English heron, via Anglo-Norman heiron, tracing back to a Proto-Germanic root that is likely imitative of the bird's harsh screeching call.