egret

UK: /ˈiːɡrɪt/

US: /ˈigrɪt/

US: (ē′grit, eg′rit, ē gret′, ē′gret)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

e•gret /ˈigrɪt/   n. [countable]

1. Birds a usually white heron having long, graceful feathers.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

e•gret  (ē′grit, eg′rit, ē gret′, ē′gret), n. 

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. Jewelry aigrette.

• Gmc; see heron
• Anglo-French egret (compare Middle French égreste, aigrette), alteration (with -on exchanged for -et -et) of dialect, dialectal Old French aigron
• late Middle English egret(e) 1400–50

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

egret / ˈiːɡrɪt/ noun

1. 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

Etymology: 15th Century: from Old French aigrette, from Old Provençal aigreta, from aigron heron, of Germanic origin; compare Old High German heigaro heron