cormorant

noun

cor·​mo·​rant ˈkȯr-mə-rənt How to pronounce cormorant (audio)
ˈkȯrm-, 
ˈkȯr-mə-ˌrant
Synonyms of cormorantnext
1
: any of various dark-colored web-footed waterbirds (family Phalacrocoracidae, especially genus Phalacrocorax) that have a long neck, hooked bill, and distensible throat pouch
2
: a gluttonous, greedy, or rapacious person

Illustration of cormorant

Illustration of cormorant

Synonyms of cormorant

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of cormorant in a Sentence

Diamond Jim Brady was perhaps the most celebrated cormorant of the Gilded Age.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Eagles, egrets, cormorants and herons are fishing, too. — John Lauritsen, CBS News, 25 June 2026 Many other birds make their home here, including bald eagles and cormorants. — Kara Williams, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026 Our view looked out over a small pond—perfect for birding, as cormorants regularly took up post on a tree there—and the ocean beyond. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 May 2026 Among its meanders, islands and beaches, there are storks, herons, cormorants and kingfishers. — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 6 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for cormorant

Word History

Etymology

Middle English cormeraunt, from Middle French cormorant, from Old French cormareng, from corp raven + marenc of the sea, from Latin marinus — more at corbel, marine

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cormorant was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing cormorant

Browse Nearby Words

cormophytic
cormorant
cormose
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cormorant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cormorant. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

cormorant

noun
cor·​mo·​rant ˈkȯrm-(ə-)rənt How to pronounce cormorant (audio)
ˈkȯr-mə-ˌrant
: any of various dark-colored web-footed seabirds with a long neck, a hooked bill, and a patch of bare often brightly colored skin under the mouth

More from Merriam-Webster on cormorant

Nglish: Translation of cormorant for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cormorant

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All