merganser

/mə:'gænsə/

Thân thiện

A merganser dives into a clear lake to catch a fish.

Definition

1. 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.)

Học thuật

Noun

1. large crested fish-eating diving duck having a slender hooked bill with serrated edges

Từ đồng nghĩa

• fish duck
• sawbill
• sheldrake