egret (English)

Where does "egret" come from?

The word 'egret' originates from the Frankish word *haigro, meaning 'heron,' which eventually evolved into the Old Occitan diminutive form 'aigreta.' It passed through Anglo-Norman before entering Middle English, where it ultimately settled into the modern term for the elegant wading bird and its distinct, plume-like feathers.

Full etymology tree

• egret (English), '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.'
  • inherited egret (Middle English)
    • borrowed egret (Anglo-Norman)
      • borrowed aigreta (Old Occitan)
        • derived aigron (Old Occitan), 'heron (animal)'
          • derived hairo (Latin), 'heron'
            • borrowed haigro (Frankish)
              • inherited *hraigrô (Proto-Germanic), 'heron'

Direct ancestors

• hairo (Latin)
• heigaro (Old High German)
• hragra (Old English)
• aigrette (English)

Updated June 2026

Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris