egret
Meaning
A type of wading bird with long legs, a long neck, and white or buff plumage, closely related to the heron.
Usage
A great white egret stood motionless in the shallow water, waiting to spear a fish.
The snowy egret is known for its delicate white feathers and bright yellow feet.
During the breeding season, the egret develops long, ornamental plumes on its back.
Etymology
The word 'egret' entered English in the 14th century from the Anglo-French word 'egret', which itself was a diminutive of the Old French 'aigron', meaning 'heron'. The Old French term derived from the Frankish word 'haigro', a Germanic root related to the Old High German 'heigaro' and the Old English 'hrāgra', both meaning 'heron'. The modern English word 'heron' shares this same Proto-Germanic ancestor, 'hraigrô'. Thus, 'egret' and 'heron' are etymological cousins, with 'egret' specifically coming to denote the typically white-plumed members of the heron family.
Analysis
The word 'egret' is a simplex loanword. Its spelling and form were adopted as a whole from French.