cormorant: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowFormal, Literary, Technical (Ornithology), Figurative
Quick answer
What does “cormorant” mean?
A large, black, voracious, fish-eating seabird with a long neck and a distinctive hooked bill.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A large, black, voracious, fish-eating seabird with a long neck and a distinctive hooked bill.
A greedy or rapacious person; by metaphor, one who consumes excessively.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or primary usage. Both use it as the bird's name. The figurative use is equally rare in both dialects.
Connotations
Neutral in ornithological context. Slightly negative/archaic in figurative use.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency in both dialects. More likely encountered in coastal regions, nature writing, or classical literature.
Grammar
How to Use “cormorant” in a Sentence
[The] cormorant + verb (dove, perched, fished)Adj + cormorant (great, black, diving)Figurative: [a] cormorant + of + [abstract noun] (a cormorant of ambition)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “cormorant” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- N/A. Not standard.
American English
- N/A. Not standard.
adverb
British English
- N/A. Does not exist.
American English
- N/A. Does not exist.
adjective
British English
- N/A. 'Cormorant' is not used adjectivally. Use 'cormorant-like'.
American English
- N/A. 'Cormorant' is not used adjectivally. Use 'cormorant-like'.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Potentially used metaphorically in criticism: "He's a corporate cormorant, devouring smaller competitors."
Academic
Used in biology, ecology, and ornithology papers. Occasionally in literary analysis for its figurative sense.
Everyday
Uncommon. Mostly used by birdwatchers or people describing coastal wildlife.
Technical
Standard term in zoology and ornithology for birds of the family Phalacrocoracidae.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cormorant”
- Misspelling: 'cormerant', 'cormorrent'.
- Mispronunciation: putting stress on the second syllable (/kɔːrˈmɔːrənt/).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
They are closely related birds in the same family. In many regions, 'cormorant' refers to the larger species (e.g., Great Cormorant), while 'shag' refers to smaller, crested species. The distinction varies locally.
Their feathers are less waterproof than other seabirds', so they spread their wings to dry them in the sun and wind after diving.
No, it is a low-frequency word. It is common among birdwatchers and in nature contexts but rare in general conversation unless used metaphorically in a literary style.
It comes from Old French 'cormareng', from 'corp' (raven) + 'mareng' (of the sea), i.e., 'sea raven'.
A large, black, voracious, fish-eating seabird with a long neck and a distinctive hooked bill.
Cormorant is usually formal, literary, technical (ornithology), figurative in register.
Cormorant: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkɔːmərənt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkɔːrmərənt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “As greedy as a cormorant (archaic/literary)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a CORE of fish being eaten by a greedy bird named MORRIS the cormorANT. CORE-MORRIS-ANT = CORMORANT.
Conceptual Metaphor
GREED/EXCESS IS A VORACIOUS BIRD (e.g., 'a cormorant of industry').
Practice
Quiz
In a literary context, describing someone as a 'cormorant' primarily suggests they are: