merganser
/mə:'gænsə/
Definition
- Noun:
- A large, crested, fish-eating diving duck characterized by a slender, hooked bill with serrated edges, which aids in catching and holding slippery prey.
Usage
- The term "merganser" is used to refer specifically to any duck of the genus or the closely related . It is a precise ornithological term.
- It functions as a countable noun (e.g., , ).
Examples
- Noun:
- We spotted a common merganser diving for fish in the lake.
- The hooded merganser is easily identified by its distinctive fan-shaped crest.
Advanced Usage
- "Goosander": In British English, the common merganser () is often called a "goosander."
- "Sawbill": Mergansers are sometimes colloquially referred to as "sawbills" due to the serrated edges of their bills.
Variants and Related Words
- Mergus (n): The genus name for most mergansers.
- Smew (n): A smaller, related diving duck (), sometimes grouped with mergansers.
Synonyms
- Fish duck: A descriptive, informal synonym.
- Sheldrake: An archaic or regional term sometimes used for the male of certain species, though it can refer to other ducks.
Related Phrases and Idioms
(Note: As a specific zoological term, "merganser" does not commonly appear in idiomatic expressions or phrasal verbs.)
Noun
-
large crested fish-eating diving duck having a slender hooked bill with serrated edges
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