any of various wading birds of the genera Egretta, Hydranassa, etc, that are similar to herons but usually have a white plumage and, in the breeding season, long feathery plumes: family Ardeidae, order Ciconiiformes
See also aigrette
Word origin
C15: from Old French aigrette, from Old Provençal aigreta, from aigron heron, of Germanic origin; compare Old High German heigaroheron
egret in American English
(ˈiˌgrɛt; ˈigrɪt; ˈɛgrɪt)
nounWord forms: pluralˈeˌgrets or ˈegret
1.
any of several herons (esp. genus Egretta), usually with long, white plumes
2.
aigrette (sense 1)
Word origin
ME < OFr aigrette, kind of heron, tuft of feathers < Prov aigreta < aigron < Frank *heigro: see heron
egret in American English
(ˈiɡrɪt, ˈeɡrɪt, iˈɡret, ˈiɡret)
noun
1.
any of several usually white herons that grow long, graceful plumes during the breeding season, as Egretta garzetta (little egret), of the Old World
2.
aigrette
Word origin
[1400–50; late ME egret (e) ‹ AF egret (cf. MF égreste, aigrette), alter. (with -on exchanged for -et - et) of dial. OF aigron ‹ Gmc; see heron]
Examples of 'egret' in a sentence
egret
A snowy egret stood on the snipped lawn next to his car and regarded him haughtily.