Any of various wading birds of the genera Egretta or Ardea that includes herons, many of which are white or buff, and several of which develop fine plumes during the breeding season.
A plume or tuft of feathers worn as a part of a headdress, or anything imitating such an ornament.
From Middle English, from Anglo-Norman egret, aigrette, from Old Occitan aigreta, diminutive of aigron, from Medieval Latin hairo, from Frankish *haigro ("heron"). Cognate with Old High German heigaro ("heron"), Old English hrāgra ("heron"). aigrette. More at heron.
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