A gull is a type of seabird with long wings, webbed feet, and usually gray and white feathers. Gulls are famous for living near oceans, lakes, and rivers, where they swoop down to catch fish or scavenge for food. You've probably seen them at the beach, calling out with their distinctive cries or boldly stealing French fries from unsuspecting picnickers.

Gulls are remarkably adaptable birds. While many people call them “seagulls,” they don't just live by the sea: they thrive in cities, parks, and even parking lots far from any ocean. They're intelligent enough to drop clams and mussels onto rocks to crack them open, and they'll follow fishing boats, hoping for an easy meal.

The word gull can also mean to trick or deceive someone. If someone gulls you, they've fooled you into believing something that isn't true. A con artist might gull people into buying fake treasures.