Illustration of hornbill
hornbill
noun
horn·bill
ˈhȯrn-ˌbil 
: any of a family (Bucerotidae) of large nonpasserine birds of Africa and Eurasia having enormous bills
Examples of hornbill in a Sentence
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Rhinoceros hornbills and Bornean wren-babblers tend to populate the forest canopy above.
—
Laura Kiniry, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Jan. 2026
The animals sent back included 11 lemurs, an albino Burmese python, giraffes, a pack of sheep, a pair of sacred ibises, two llamas, tamarins, a kookaburra, a gibbon, capuchins, several parrots, three ground hornbills, three cockatoos, a serval, a Poitou donkey, and a macaw.
—Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 27 Nov. 2025
The ornamentation found on the beaks and tops of heads of hornbills are a structure similar to the casque on the cassowary, a bird species found in New Guinea and Australia.
—Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 13 Nov. 2025
From the haunting call of the Indian paradise flycatcher to the flash of a Malabar pied hornbill's wings, the park is alive with exciting birds — a paradise for veteran birdwatchers and nascent enthusiasts alike.
—Marion Miller, Travel + Leisure, 10 Oct. 2025
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Laura Kiniry, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Jan. 2026
The animals sent back included 11 lemurs, an albino Burmese python, giraffes, a pack of sheep, a pair of sacred ibises, two llamas, tamarins, a kookaburra, a gibbon, capuchins, several parrots, three ground hornbills, three cockatoos, a serval, a Poitou donkey, and a macaw.
—Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 27 Nov. 2025
The ornamentation found on the beaks and tops of heads of hornbills are a structure similar to the casque on the cassowary, a bird species found in New Guinea and Australia.
—Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 13 Nov. 2025
From the haunting call of the Indian paradise flycatcher to the flash of a Malabar pied hornbill's wings, the park is alive with exciting birds — a paradise for veteran birdwatchers and nascent enthusiasts alike.
—Marion Miller, Travel + Leisure, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hornbill
Cite this Entry
“Hornbill.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hornbill. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hornbill
noun
horn·bill
-ˌbil
: any of a family of large Old World birds having enormous bills
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