A large dark seabird with a long neck and hooked beak that dives underwater to catch fish.
From Old French 'cormorant,' derived from Latin 'corvus marinus' meaning 'sea raven.' The 'corvus' (raven) part references its dark color, while 'marinus' means sea. The word evolved to describe this voracious fishing bird.
Medieval people used cormorants like fishing dogs—they'd tie strings around their throats so the birds couldn't swallow large fish, forcing them to bring catches back to their masters. This practice, called 'cormorant fishing,' still happens in Japan and China today!
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.