Where does “pelican” come from?
Pelican comes from Middle English pelican, from Old English pellican, from Latin pelecanus, from Ancient Greek πελεκάν, ultimately from Ancient Greek πέλεκυς meaning axe, alluding to the bird's bill shape.
pelican (English): Any of various seabirds of the family...
Definitions
- Any of various seabirds of the family...
Ancestry of “pelican”, step by step
Words derived from “pelican”