Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
"PELICANS" is a plural of: pelican. |
Date "PELICANS" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1813. (references) |
| Domain | Definition |
Bible | Pelicans are frequently met with at the waters of Merom and the Sea of Galilee. The pelican is ranked among unclean birds (Lev. 11:18; Deut. 14:17). It is of an enormous size, being about 6 feet long, with wings stretching out over 12 feet. The Hebrew name (kaath, i.e., "vomiter") of this bird is incorrectly rendered "cormorant" in the Authorized Version of Isa. 34:11 and Zeph. 2:14, but correctly in the Revised Version. It receives its Hebrew name from its habit of storing in its pouch large quantities of fish, which it disgorges when it feeds its young. Two species are found on the Syrian coast, the Pelicanus onocrotalus, or white pelican, and the Pelicanus crispus, or Dalmatian pelican. Source: Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
Pelicans
Pink-backed Pelican
(Pelecanus rufescens).
Larger version
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Pelecanidae Genus: Pelecanus Species Pelecanus occidentalis
Pelecanus thagus
Pelecanus erythrorhynchos
Pelecanus onocrotalis
Pelecanus crispus
Pelecanus rufescens
Pelecanus philippensis
Pelecanus conspicillatusA pelican is any of several very large water birds with a distinctive pouch under the beak belonging to the bird family Pelecanidae. Along with the darters, cormorants, gannets, boobiess, frigatebirds, and tropicbirds, they make up the order Pelecaniformes. Like other birds in that group, pelicans have all four toes webbed (they aretotipalmate).
They use two different ways to feed:
Pelicans can grow to a wingspan of three meters and weigh 13 kilograms, males being a little larger than females and having a longer bill.
- Group fishing, used by white pelicans all over the world. They will form a line to chase schools of small fish into shallow water, and then simply scoop them up. Large fish are caught with the bill-tip, then tossed up in the air to be caught and slid into the gullet head first.
- Plunge-diving, used almost exclusively by the American Brown Pelican, but only rarely by white pelicans like the Peruvian Pelican of the western South American coast, or the Australian Pelican.
From the fossil record, it is known that pelicans have been around for over 40 million years. Modern pelicans are found on all continents except Antarctica: they are birds of inland and coastal waters and are absent from polar regions, the deep ocean, oceanic islands, and inland South America.
Pelicans are gregarious and nest colonially, the male bringing the material, the female heaping it up to form a simple structure. Pairs are monogamous for a single season but the pair bond extends only to the nesting area; away from the nest mates are independent.
Because of its large beak and pouch, the pelican has a particular place in the public imagination: as one poet wrote, "A wonderful bird is the pelican; his beak can hold more than his belly can..." (The verse is attributed both to Odgen Nash and to Dixon Lanier Merritt.)
Australian PelicanIn medieval Europe, the pelican was thought to be particularly attentive to her young, to the point of providing her own blood when no other food was available. As a result the pelican became a symbol in bestiaries for self-sacrifice, and was used as a symbol in heraldry ("a pelican in her piety").
- ORDER PELECANIFORMES
- Family Pelecanidae
- Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis
- Peruvian Pelican, Pelecanus thagus
- American White Pelican, Pelecanus erythrorhynchos
- Great White Pelican, Pelecanus onocrotalis
- Dalmatian Pelican, Pelecanus crispus
- Pink-backed Pelican, Pelecanus rufescens
- Spot-billed Pelican, Pelecanus philippensis
- Australian Pelican, Pelecanus conspicillatus
- Family Sulidae (gannets and boobies)
- Family Anhingidae (anhingas or darters)
- Family Phalacrocoracidae (cormorants)
- Family Fregatidae (frigatebirds)
- Family Phaethontidae (tropicbirds)
Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Pelican."
Crosswords: PELICANS |
| English words defined with "PELICANS": family Pelecanidae, frigate bird ♦ order Pelecaniformes ♦ Pelecanidae, Pelecaniformes ♦ sea bird, seabird, seafowl, Steganopodes. (references) |
| Domain | Usage | |
Screenplays | If the Flintstones have taught us anything, it's that pelicans can be used to mix cement (The Simpsons; writing credit: Artur Brauner; Paul Hengge) | |
Tongue Twisters | Pooped purple pelicans. (references; author: unknown) | |
Movie/TV Titles | Pelicans at the Zoo (1897) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | ||
| Thumbnail | Description & Credit | Thumbnail | Description & Credit |
 | Pelicans and gulls relax on handy pilings. Credit: America's Coastlines. |  | Pelicans on a post. Credit: America's Coastlines. |
 | Pelicans (Pelacanus thagus) and gannets (Sula variegata) on a fishing boat net. Credit: Fisheries. |  | Pelicans following a fishing boat into the harbor. Credit: Fisheries. |
 | Scott Gudes prepares to bury a dead pelican. Pelicans are one of the bird species that become entangled in discarded monofilament fishing line. The birds are trapped by the line when it wraps around their legs and can not fly to hunt for food or reach water. Death is prolonged and painful. The monofilament clean up removes line from the roosting sites to protect birds from entanglement. Credit: NOAA Restoration Center. |  | A single Brown Pelican rests on the water in Tampa Bay. Brown Pelicans are one of the species that benefit from the monofilament clean-up that is organized yearly by Tampa Baywatch. Brown Pelicans and other birds fall victim to discarded monofilament fishing line when they roost on estuary islands. Credit: NOAA Restoration Center. |
 | North Inlet - Winyah Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. The eastern brown pelican has made a remarkable comeback after facing near extinction in the 60's due to the effects of pesticides. Still classified as threatened in South Carolina, pelicans nest on remote beaches and feed in the estuaries and nearshore coastal areas. Credit: National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERR). |  | Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Juvenile brown pelicans on Weeks Bay. Credit: National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERR). |
 | Pelicans line the breakwater at the harbor entrance to Callao, Peru. Observed from NOAA Ship McARTHUR while entering Callao Harbor during STAR 2000 project. Credit: Small World. |  | White pelicans at Chase Lake, North Dakota. Credit: USDA. |
Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits. | |||
 |  |
| "Pelicans" by Erik Hutters Commentary: "Pelicans." | "Herons or Pelicans 2" by Gary McCord Commentary: "Herons or Pelicans ... i just don't have a clue!." |
Source: photographs selected by the editor, with permission from the photographers. | |
| Play | Caption |
 | Seagulls and pelicans calling on a Florida beach. |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| "PELICANS" is generally used as a noun (plural) -- approximately 94.29% of the time. "PELICANS" is used about 35 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted) |
| Parts of Speech | Percent | Usage per 100 Million Words | Rank in English |
| Noun (plural) | 94.29% | 33 | 60,273 |
| Noun (proper) | 5.71% | 2 | 245,945 |
| Total | 100.00% | 35 | N/A |
Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.
| The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com. |
| Language | Translations for "PELICANS"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses. | |
Dutch | pelikaanachtigen (pelicans and kin). (various references) | |
French | pélécaniformes (pelicans and kin). (various references) | |
German | Pelikane. (various references) | |
Greek | πελεκανοειδή (pelicans and kin). (various references) | |
Italian | pelecaniformi (pelicans and kin). (various references) | |
Pig Latin | elicanspay.(various references) | |
Portuguese | pelicaniformes (pelicans and kin). (various references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various translation references. | ||
| Language | Period | Translations |
| Latin | 500 BCE-Modern | Pelecanidae. (various references) |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
Misspellings | |
"PELICANS" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: paulicians, pelicano, Policano, Policansky, spillikins. (additional references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |
| # of Phoneme Matches | Pronunciation | Word(s) rhyming with "PELICANS" (pronounced pe"likunz) |
| 6 | -l i k u n z | republicans. |
| 4 | -k u n z | awakens, beacons, beckons, blackens, brackens, catkins, chickens, deacons, Dickens, falcons, gascons, lichens, likens, lubricants, Pipkins, pumpkins, quickens, reckons, slackens, thickens, tokens, weakens. |
| 3 | -u n z | abrasions, abstentions, abstractions, academicians, accommodations, abandons, abbreviations, abductions, aberrations, abortions, accordions, accreditations, accumulations, accusations, acquisitions, actions, adaptations, addictions, additions, administrations, admissions, admonitions, adoptions, affections, affiliations, affirmations, afflictions, aggressions, aliens, allegations, allergens, allocations, allusions, alterations, altercations, ambitions, ammunitions, amphibians, amplifications, amputations, animations, annotations, anticipations, antigens, antihistamines, antitoxins, apparitions, appellations, applications, apprehensions, appropriations, approximations, aprons, arbitrations, arcadians, arsons, artisans, aspens, aspersions, aspirations, assassinations, assassins, assertions, associations, assumptions, attentions, attractions, auctions, auditions, authentications, authorizations, Avions, confrontations, confusions, congratulations, congregations, congresspersons, conjugations, conjunctions, connections, connotations, consecrations, considerations, consolations, consolidations, constellations, constitutions, constrictions, constructions, consultations, contentions, contortions, contractions, contradictions, contraptions, contrarians, contributions, contusions, conventions, conversations, conversions, convictions, convulsions, cooperations, corporations, corrections, correlations, corruptions, cottons, badmintons, balbriggans, barbarians, bargains, barons, barrens, basins, bastions, battalions, bedouins, billions, bourbons, brightens, broadens, bruins, bulletins, burdens, buttons, cabins, calculations, cancellations, cannons, canons, cantons, canyons, capitalizations, captains, captions, carbons, carcinogens, cardigans, carnations, cartons, castrations, catamarans, cautions, caymans, celebrations, centenarians, certifications, champions, chaplains, characterizations, charlatans, chieftains, circulations, citations, citizens, civilians, civilizations, clarifications, classifications, clinicians, coalitions, collaborations, collections, collegians, collisions, combinations, comedians, commemorations, commissions, Commons, communications, companions, comparisons, compensations, competitions, compilations, completions, complexions, complications, compositions, compulsions, computations, concentrations, conceptions, concessions, conclusions, concoctions, concussions, condemnations, conditions, confections, confessions, configurations, confirmations, cousins, cravens, creations, crustaceans, curtains, cushions, custodians, dalmatians, Daltons, dandelions, decapitations, deceptions, decisions, declarations, decorations, deductions, deepens, defections, definitions, degradations, delegations, deletions, deliberations, delicatessens, delusions, demarcations, demons, demonstrations, demotions, denationalizations, denizens, denominations, denunciations, depictions, deportations, depositions, depreciations, depredations, depressions, deprivations, descriptions, desecrations, desertions, designations, destinations, detentions, determinations, determines, detonations, devaluations, deviations, dietitians, digressions, dimensions, dioxins, directions, disciplinarians, disciplines, discolorations, discussions, dislocations, dispositions, disruptions, dissections, distinctions, distortions, distractions, distributions, diversifications, diversions, divisions, Dobsons, doctrines, dolphins, donations, dozens, dragons, dramatizations, dungeons, duplications, durations, editions, educations, egyptians, elections, electricians, electrocutions, elevations, elevens, eliminations, elocutions, emanations, emigrations, emissions, emotions, endorphins, engines, environs, envisions, eons, equations, erections, eruptions, estimations, estrogens, evacuations, evaluations, evasions, evens, evictions, exacerbations, exactions, exaggerations, examinations, examines, excavations, exceptions, exclamations, exclusions, excursions, executions, exemptions, exertions, exhibitions, exhortations, expansions, expectations, expeditions, expirations, explanations, explorations, explosions, expositions, expressions, expropriations, expulsions, extensions, extractions, fabrications, factions, famines, fashions, federations, felons, fictions, firmans, flirtations, fluctuations, fluorocarbons, formations, formulations, fortifications, fortunes, foundations, fountains, fractions, frictions, frightens, frustrations, functions, galleons, gallons, Gammons, gardens, generalizations, generations, geriatricians, germans, Gibbons, givens, globulins, gluttons, gorgons, Gowans, grabens, gradations, graduations, gremlins, gryphons, guardians, gyrations, hallucinations, happens, hardens, hastens, havens, heavens, heightens, heroines, herons, hesitations, historians, hooligans, horizons, hospitalizations, humanitarians, humans, humiliations, hydrocarbons, hydrogens, identifications, illusions, illustrations, imaginations, imagines, imitations, immunizations, impatiens, imperfections, implications, impressions, improvisations, inaugurations, incarnations, incisions, inclinations, inclusions, incorporations, incursions, indications, indiscretions, infections, infestations, inflections, informations, infractions, infusions, inhibitions, injections, injunctions, innovations, inoculations, inscriptions, insinuations, inspections, inspirations, installations, institutions, instructions, integrations, intentions, interactions, interceptions, interconnections, interjections, intermissions, interpretations, interrogations, interruptions, intersections, interventions, intestines, intimations, introductions, intrusions, inundations, invasions, inventions, investigations, invitations, ions, irritations, jillions, Jordans, jurisdictions, justifications, juxtapositions, kindergartens, kitchens, kittens, lacerations, leavens, legions, lemans, lemons, lengthens, lesbians, lesions, lessens, lessons, liberalizations, libertarians, librarians, limitations, linens, lions, lippens, liquidations, listens, litigations, locations, loosens, lotions, luncheons, machinations, magicians, magnifications, maidens, malformations, malfunctions, mandarins, manifestations, manipulations, mansions, margins, Marlins, martens, martians, masons, mathematicians, matrons, mavens, medallions, medications, medicines, meditations, melons, mentions, metropolitans, mignons, migrations, millions, minions, ministrations, miscalculations, misconceptions, miscreations, misfortunes, misperceptions, misrepresentations, missions, mittens, mobilizations, modifications, Morgans, motions, motivations, mountains, muffins, mullens, munitions, musicians, mutations, mutilations, myrmidons, nationalizations, nations, negotiations, neurosurgeons, newspersons, nominations, nonwovens, notations, notifications, notions, objections, obligations, observations, obsessions, obstetricians, obstructions, occasions, occupations, oceans, omens, omissions, onions, opens, operations, opinions, oppressions, opticians, options, orations, orchestrations, organizations, organs, orientations, originations, orphans, oscillations, ovations, ovens, paeans, palpitations, pardons, parliamentarians, Parsons, participations, partisans, partitions, passions, pathogens, patients, patricians, patrons, pavilions, pedestrians, pediatricians, penguins, penicillins, pensions, peons, perceptions, perforations, permissions, permutations, persons, persuasions, perturbations, petitions, physicians, pigeons, pistons, plantains, plantations, plebeians, poisons, politicians, pollens, polyhedrons, pontifications, populations, porcelains, portions, positions, possessions, potions, precautions, preconceptions, preconditions, predictions, predilections, predispositions, preoccupations, preparations, prescriptions, presentations, presumptions, pretensions, prisons, privations, privatizations, processions, proclamations, productions, professions, prognostications, prohibitions, projections, promotions, pronunciations, proportions, propositions, prosecutions, prostaglandins, protections, protestations, protozoans, provisions, provocations, publications, puritans, qualifications, questions, quotations, ramifications, rationalizations, rations, ravens, reactions, realizations, reasons, rebellions, recapitalizations, receptions, recessions, recisions, recitations, recollections, recommendations, reconciliations, reconstructions, recriminations, redemptions, reductions, reflections, regimens, regions, registrations, regressions, regulations, rehabilitations, rejections, relations, religions, relocations, remissions, renditions, renegotiations, renovations, reopens, reorganizations, reparations, repercussions, repetitions, repossessions, representations, repressions, reproductions, reputations, rescissions, reservations, resignations, resolutions, restorations, restrictions, reunions, revaluations, revelations, reverberations, revisions, revocations, revolutions, rhetoricians, ribbons, Robins, romans, rotations, ruins, ruminations, saddens, salmons, samaritans, sanctions, sapiens, satisfactions, scallions, scorpions, seasons, secretions, sections, selections, seminarians, sensations, separations, sermons, sessions, sevens, shamans, sharpens, shenanigans, shortens, Siemens, simulations, siphons, sirens, situations, skeletons, slogans, smoothens, snapdragons, softens, solicitations, solutions, sovereigns, sovrans, specifications, specimens, speculations, spokespersons, squadrons, stallions, stations, statisticians, sterilizations, stiffens, stipulations, straightens, strangulations, strengthens, sturgeons, subdivisions, subluxations, submissions, subscriptions, substitutions, suburbans, suggestions, sultans, summations, summons, superstitions, suppositions, surgeons, suspensions, suspicions, sweetens, syndications, tabulations, tacticians, talons, tamarins, technicians, telecommunications, televisions, temptations, tendons, tensions, terminations, theologians, theoreticians, threatens, tightens, titans, toboggans, totalitarians, toughens, toxins, traditions, transactions, transcriptions, transformations, transfusions, transgressions, transitions, translations, transmissions, tribulations, trillions, truncheons, tuitions, turbans, unions, unisons, urchins, utopians, vacations, vaccinations, valuations, variations, vegetarians, versions, veterans, veterinarians, vibrations, villains, violations, virgins, visions, visitations, vitamins, vocations, wagons, wardens, warrens, watermelons, weapons, widens, woolens, workstations, worsens, yaupons, zillions. |
Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits. | ||
Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams | |
Direct Anagrams: capelins, panicles. | |
| Words within the letters "a-c-e-i-l-n-p-s" | |
-1 letter: alpines, capelin, caplins, enclasp, inclasp, inlaces, inscape, panicle, pelican, pencils, pineals, plaices, sanicle, scaleni, spancel, spaniel, special, splenia, splenic. | |
-2 letters: aliens, alines, alpine, apices, apneic, caplin, casein, cleans, clines, elains, epical, espial, incase, inlace, lances, lapins, lianes, linacs, lipase, panels, panics, pecans, pencil, penial, pensil, pineal, places, plaice, plains, planes, plicae, saline. | |
| Words containing the letters "a-c-e-i-l-n-p-s" | |
+1 letter: cephalins, cisalpine, inclasped, manciples, pinnacles, pliancies. | |
+2 letters: analeptics, appliances, beclasping, campaniles, candlepins, enclasping, escaloping, inculpates, neoplastic, opalescing, percalines, placidness, plasticene, plasticine, pleonastic, porcelains, reclasping, scaloppine, spanceling, suppliance. | |
+3 letters: captionless, cephalexins, complainers, compliances, encapsuling, endoplasmic, escalloping, flippancies, inescapable, inescapably, neophiliacs, peculations, petulancies, plangencies, plasticenes, plasticines, pratincoles, republicans, scaloppines, scopolamine, spancelling, specialness, speculating, speculation, spinachlike, suppliances, typicalness. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. | |
| 1. Definition 2. Crosswords 3. Usage: Modern 4. Images: Slideshow | 5. Images: Photo Album 6. Images: Digital Art 7. Sounds 8. Usage Frequency | 9. Expressions: Internet 10. Translations: Modern 11. Translations: Ancient 12. Derivations | 13. Rhymes 14. Anagrams 15. Bibliography |
Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
