# ibis

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈaɪ.bɪs/ · frequency rank #35,763

## Definitions
1. Any of various long-legged wading birds in the family Threskiornithidae, having long downcurved bills used to probe the mud for prey such as crustaceans.

## Etymology
Mentioned in the Wycliffe Bible as ybyn or ibin, as ibys from 16th century and ibis shortly after. From Latin ībis, from Ancient Greek ἶβις (îbis), from Egyptian h-b-G26 (hbj) (compare Coptic ϩⲓⲃⲱⲓ (hibōi) or ϩⲓⲡ (hip)).

## Easily confused with
- **is** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ibis-vs-is)
- **II** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ibis-vs-ii)
- **its** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ibis-vs-its)
- **iOS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ibis-vs-ios)
- **IBM** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ibis-vs-ibm)
- **ins** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ibis-vs-ins)
- **IRS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ibis-vs-irs)
- **ibn** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ibis-vs-ibn)
- **ISS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ibis-vs-iss)
- **IDS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ibis-vs-ids)
- **ips** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ibis-vs-ips)
- **ifs** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ibis-vs-ifs)
- **ISI** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ibis-vs-isi)
- **ICS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ibis-vs-ics)
- **IIT** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ibis-vs-iit)
- **IBS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ibis-vs-ibs)
- **ILS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ibis-vs-ils)
- **ies** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ibis-vs-ies)
- **it's** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ibis-vs-it-s)
- **Isis** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ibis-vs-isis)

## Common misspellings (5)
`biis`, `ibbis`, `ibiss`, `ibsi`, `iibs`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/ibis