CORMORANT

cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo

(noun) large voracious dark-colored long-necked seabird with a distensible pouch for holding fish; used in Asia to catch fish

Source: WordNet® 3.1

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Etymology

Noun

cormorant (plural cormorants)

Any of various medium-large black seabirds of the family Phalacrocoracidae, especially the great cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo.

(obsolete) A voracious eater.

Synonym: glutton; see also glutton

Adjective

cormorant (comparative more cormorant, superlative most cormorant)

Ravenous, greedy.

• William Shakespeare, Love's Labour's Lost, Act I, Scene 1

Source: Wiktionary

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Cor`mo*rant (kr"m-rant), n. Etym: [F. cormoran, fr. Armor. m a sea raven; m sea + bran raven, with cor, equiv. to L. corvus raven, pleonastically prefixed; or perh. fr. L. corvus marinus sea raven.]

1. (Zoöl.)

Definition: Any species of Phalacrocorax, a genus of sea birds having a sac under the beak; the shag. Cormorants devour fish voraciously, and have become the emblem of gluttony. They are generally black, and hence are called sea ravens, and coalgeese. [Written also corvorant.]

2. A voracious eater; a glutton, or gluttonous servant. B. Jonson.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

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