Ibis
/ˈaɪ.bɪs/noun
A long-legged wading bird with a down-curved bill, found in warm regions worldwide.
Did you know?The ibis was strongly associated with the god Thoth in ancient Egypt, so this bird’s name is tied to one of the most famous divine scribes in history.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Egyptian
Eg
hbj
“The name of the ibis bird in Egyptian, associated with sacred symbolism.”
Ancient Greek
Gk
ibis
“A loanword for the ibis bird, especially the sacred Egyptian species.”
Latin
Lat
ibis
“An ibis; the bird name was borrowed from Greek.”
Middle English
Eng
ibis
“A name for the ibis bird, used in learned and travel writing.”
Modern English
Eng
ibis
“A long-legged wading bird with a curved bill.”