# pelican

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈpɛl.ɪ.kən/ · frequency rank #26,549

## Definitions
1. Any of various seabirds of the family Pelecanidae, having a long bill with a distendable pouch.
2. A native or resident of the American state of Louisiana.
3. A retort or still having a curved tube or tubes leading back from the head to the body for continuous condensation and redistillation.
4. A set of forceps used to force overcrowded teeth apart.
5. A waterbomber.
6. An ageing prostitute.

## Etymology
From Middle English pellican, pellicane, from Old English pellican (“pelican”), from Latin pelecānus, from Ancient Greek πελεκάν (pelekán),
πέλεκυς (pélekus, “hatchet”).

## Easily confused with
- **pecan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pecan-vs-pelican)

## Common misspellings (10)
`eplican`, `peilcan`, `pelcian`, `peliacn`, `pelicann`, `peliccan`, `pelicna`, `pellican`, `pleican`, `ppelican`

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