The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
n. Any of several large sea birds of the genus Morus, especially M. bassanus of northern Atlantic coastal regions, having white plumage with black wingtips. Also called solan.
n. any of three species of large seabird in the genus Morus, of the family Sulidae. They have black and white bodies and long pointed wings, and hunt for fish by plunge diving and pursuing their prey underwater.
n. a voracious eater; a glutton.
n. a person who flocks towards food whenever it is put out.
the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English
n. One of several species of sea birds of the genus Sula, allied to the pelicans.
The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
n. The solan-goose, Sula bassana, a large totipalmate swimming bird of the family Sulidæ and order Steganopodes.
n. plural The birds of the family Sulidæ; the boobies, of which there are several species, of the genera Sula and Dysporus.
WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
n. large heavily built seabird with a long stout bill noted for its plunging dives for fish
Word Usage
"The gannet is the scrap merchant of the ocean, its trash collector."