hammerkop

noun

ham·​mer·​kop

ˈhamə(r)ˌkäp

variants or less commonly hammerkop bird or hammerkop stork

plural -s

: a chiefly dusky brown African wading bird (Scopus umbretta) intermediate in some respects between storks and herons but distinguished by its large head with heavy bill and thick dorsal crest and by its huge domed nest

Word History

Etymology

Afrikaans hamerkop, from hamer hammer + kop head

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!