Shoebills

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Large wading birds of African swamps and marshes, noted for their huge shoe-shaped bill and prehistoric appearance
2. Tall, grey, stork-like birds native to tropical Africa that have a broad, clog-shaped beak and stand motionless in wetlands
3. Striking waterbirds of northeastern Africa's swamps, distinguished by their enormous wide bills and solemn, upright stance

Etymology: The shoebill is named for its enormous, clog-shaped bill, which is broad and flattened like a wooden shoe. "Shoe" comes from Old English "scōh," and "bill" is the ordinary word for a bird's beak. The compound describes the bird's most striking feature in plain terms, so the name needed no invented metaphor or special coinage. "Shoebills" is simply the plural of "shoebill," which is what you use when referring to more than one of these birds.

Synonyms: whalehead