Lexic.us

Definition of Heron

1. Noun. Greek mathematician and inventor who devised a way to determine the area of a triangle and who described various mechanical devices (first century).

2. Noun. Grey or white wading bird with long neck and long legs and (usually) long bill.

Definition of Heron

1. n. Any wading bird of the genus Ardea and allied genera, of the family Ardeidæ. The herons have a long, sharp bill, and long legs and toes, with the claw of the middle toe toothed. The common European heron (Ardea cinerea) is remarkable for its directly ascending flight, and was formerly hunted with the larger falcons.

Definition of Heron

1. Noun. A long-legged, long-necked wading bird of the family Ardeidae. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Heron

1. a wading bird [n -S]

Medical Definition of Heron

1. Any wading bird of the genus Ardea and allied genera, of the family Ardeidae. The herons have a long, sharp bill, and long legs and toes, with the claw of the middle toe toothed. The common European heron (Ardea cinerea) is remarkable for its directly ascending flight, and was formerly hunted with the larger falcons. There are several common American species; as, the great blue heron (Ardea herodias); the little blue (A. Coerulea); the green (A. Virescens); the snowy (A. Candidissima); the night heron or qua-bird (Nycticorax nycticorax). The plumed herons are called egrets. Heron's bill, a plant of the genus Erodium; so called from the fancied resemblance of the fruit to the head and beak of the heron. Origin: OE. Heiroun, heroun, heron, hern, OF. Hairon, F. Heron, OHG. Heigir; cf. Icel. Hegri, Dan. Heire, Sw. Hager, and also G. Haher jay, jackdaw, OHG. Hehara, higere, woodpecker, magpie, D. Reiger heron, G. Reiher, AS. Hragra. Cf. Aigret, Egret. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Heron

heroins heroinware heroise heroised heroises heroising heroism heroisms heroization heroizations

heroize heroized heroizes heroizing herolike heron (current term) heron's bill heroner heroners heronlike

heronries heronry herons heronsew heronsews heronshaw heronshaws heroon heroons heros

Literary usage of Heron

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. A History of Greek Mathematics by Thomas Little Heath (1921)
"XVIII MENSURATION: heron OF ALEXANDRIA Controversies as to heron's date. THE vexed question of heron's date has perhaps called forth as much discussion as ..."

2. An Etymological Dictionary of the English Language by Walter William Skeat (1893)
"(F.) Spenser has herne>haw in the sense of heron ; FQ vi. 7. 9. Two distinct words have been confused here. 1. Herm-haw, a heron, is incorrect, ..."

3. The Auk: Quarterly Journal of Ornithology by American Ornithologists' Union, Nuttall Ornithological Club (1900)
"From photograph taken at heron Lake, Jackson Co., Minn., June, 1899. ... Scene at the Franklin Gull Colony, heron Lake, Minn., June 16, 1899. ..."

4. The Birds of America by John James] [Audubon (1843)
"The Yellow-crowned heron, which is one of the handsomest species of its tribe, ... Like the Night heron, this species may be enticed near by imitating its ..."

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