cormorant

noun

cor·​mo·​rant ˈkȯr-mə-rənt 

ˈkȯrm-, 

ˈkȯr-mə-ˌrant

1

: any of various dark-colored web-footed waterbirds (family Phalacrocoracidae, especially genus Phalacrocorax) that have a long neck, hooked bill, and distensible throat pouch

2

: a gluttonous, greedy, or rapacious person

Illustration of cormorant

Synonyms of cormorant

• pig
• hog

Examples of cormorant in a Sentence

Diamond Jim Brady was perhaps the most celebrated cormorant of the Gilded Age.

Recent Examples on the Web

Many other birds make their home here, including bald eagles and cormorants. —Kara Williams, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026

In 2025, SeaWorld rescued 17 Brandt’s cormorants for the entire year. —Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Apr. 2026

And for the tireless efforts of the Society’s 2,000 members and donors, the basin remains a destination for nature lovers who track white pelicans, geese, cormorants, herons and other birds in a 2,150-acre playground filled with native plants. —Daily News, 16 Apr. 2026

The journey is as lovely as the destination, the boat slicing through glassy waters as dolphins race alongside, blubbery sea lions wobble on top of buoys, and black-and-white imperial cormorants eye their next catch in the cold, clear bay. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English cormeraunt, from Middle French cormorant, from Old French cormareng, from corp raven + marenc of the sea, from Latin marinus — more at corbel, marine

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing cormorant

• double-crested cormorant

Kids Definition

cormorant

noun

cor·​mo·​rant ˈkȯrm-(ə-)rənt 

ˈkȯr-mə-ˌrant

: any of various dark-colored web-footed seabirds with a long neck, a hooked bill, and a patch of bare often brightly colored skin under the mouth