Forms: 5 egrete, -ette, 6–7 eggret, 7 (egript), 8 eggritte, eigrette, 5– egret. See also AIGRETTE. [var. of AIGRETTE: a. Fr. aigrette, dim. of *aigr-, a. OHG. heigir: see HERON.]

1

  1.  The Lesser White Heron: cf. AIGRETTE 1. Also attrib., as in egret-heron.

2

1411.  Rogers, Agric. & Prices, III. 129/2. Egrets 4 @ 1/2.

3

c. 1535.  Dewes, Introd. Fr., in Palsgr., 911. Theggret, laigret.

4

1600.  Hakluyt, Voy., III. 520. An egript … is all white as the swanne, with legs like to an hearnshaw.

5

1766.  Pennant, Zool. (1768), II. 513. Egrets, a species of Heron now scarce known in this island.

6

1849.  C. Brontë, Shirley, III. viii. 178. As quiet poultry might look on an egret.

7

1859.  Tennent, Ceylon, II. IX. iv. 455. Snowy egrets … station themselves lower down to watch the fish.

8

  2.  The feathery pappus of the seeds of the dandelion, thistle, and other plants; = AIGRETTE 3.

9

1794.  Martyn, Rousseau’s Bot., vi. 70. Seeds in which the down or egret which crowns them is sessile.

10

1800.  J. Hurdis, Favourite Vill., 110. Egret from the head Of thistle ravished.

11

1851.  S. Judd, Margaret, VI. (1871), 29. The egret of a thistle.

12

  3.  attrib., as † egret-monkey [Fr. aigrette; so called by Buffon from the tuft on the top of its head], an assumed species of ape called by Linnæus Simia Aygula; it is now supposed that the female of some species of Macacus was meant.

13

1802.  Bingley, Anim. Biog. (1813), I. 81. The egret monkey.

14

1829.  Tower Menagerie, Contents.

15