Forms: 4–6 cormaraunt(e, cormera(u)nt(e, cormoraunt, 5 cormerawnt(e, (kormorount, cormirande), 6 carmorant(e, -aunt(e, -an, cormrant, 6–7 cormorand(e, 6– cormorant. [ad. F. cormoran, in 15th c. cormaran, cosmaran (Littré), 16th c. cormarain, -merant; still with fishermen cormaran, -marin; app. altered from an OF. *corp-marin:—L. corvus marīnus sea-raven (occurring in the Reichenau Glosses of 8th c.); whence also Pr. corpmari, Cat. corbmari, Pg. corvomarinho. The ending is identified by Hatzfeld and Thomas with that in faucon moran, which they think to be a deriv. of Breton mor sea, and so = marin. In the earliest known Eng. examples, the Fr. -an is already corrupted to -ant, as in peasant, pheasant, tyrant, etc.: see -ANT3.]
1. A large and voracious sea-bird (Phalacrocorax carbo), about 3 feet in length, and of a lustrous black color, widely diffused over the northern hemisphere and both sides of the Atlantic. Also the name of the genus, including about 25 species, some of which are found in all maritime parts of the world.
c. 1320. Orpheo, 296, in Ritson, Met. Rom., II. 260. Of game they fonde grete haunt, Fesaunt, heron, and cormerant.
c. 1381. Chaucer, Parl. Foules, 362. The hote cormeraunt of glotonye.
1382. Wyclif, Lev. xi. 18. A swan, a cormaraunt [1388 cormoraunt].
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 93. Cormerawnte, corvus marinus.
1530. Palsgr., 155. Cormerant, a cormeraunt.
c. 1532. Dewes, Introd. Fr., ibid. 911. The cormorande, le cormorain.
1610. Histrio-m., III. 100. The Callis Cormorants from Dover roade Are not so chargeable as you to feed.
1658. Marvell, Unfort. Lover, Poems (1870), 243. A numerous fleet of corm’rants black.
1744. Thomson, Winter, 144. The cormorant on high Wheels from the deep.
1845. Darwin, Voy. Nat., ix. (1852), 199. One day I observed a cormorant playing with a fish which it had caught.
2. fig. An insatiably greedy or rapacious person. Also with qualification, as money-cormorant.
1531. Elyot, Gov., III. xxii. To whiche carmorantes, neither lande, water, ne ayre mought be sufficient.
1592. Greene, Upst. Courtier, in Harl. Misc. (Malh.), II. 218. They were cormorantes or vsurers, that gathered it to fill their cofers with.
1660. Willsford, Scales Comm., I. II. 99. There would be many Money-cormorants, and their profit great.
1687. Congreve, Old Bach., I. ii. Why, what a cormorant in love am I.
1725. Pope, Odyss., I. 207. His treasur’d stores these Cormorants consume.
1809. Wellington, in Gurw., Desp. V. 155. We must look a little after these cormorants of Romana.
b. Said of qualities, things, etc.
1593. Shaks., Rich. II., II. i. 38. Light vanity, insatiate cormorant, Consuming meanes soone preyes vpon it selfe.
1712. Arbuthnot, John Bull (1755), 7. Law is a bottomless pit; it is a cormorant, a harpy, that devours everything.
1784. Unfortunate Sensibility, I. 51. I … suppose the cormorant time may have devoured them.
3. attrib.
1568. T. Howell, Newe Sonets (1879), 124. Cressus he that cormrant King.
1583. Stanyhurst, Æneis, III. (Arb.), 77. No stigian vengaunce lyke too theese carmoran haggards.
1607. Shaks., Cor., I. i. 125. The Cormorant belly.
1726. Amherst, Terræ Filius, iv. 17. A cormorant head of a college.
1785. Mrs. A. M. Bennett, Juvenile Indiscr. (1786), V. 216. A peevish discontented sister and her cormorant companion.
¶ Under the influence of etymological fancies, the word was sometimes altered to corvorant [L. vorānt-em devouring]; see also CORNVORANT.
1577. Holinshed, Chron., II. 701. That corvorant generation of Romanists.
1766. Pennant, Zool. (1768), II. 476. Genus XVIII. The Corvorant. Note, The learned Dr. Kay, or Caius, derives the word Corvorant from Corvus vorans, from whence corruptly our word Cormorant.
1802. G. Montagu, Ornith. Dict. (1833), 103. Corvorant, a name for the Cormorant.
