widgeon

widgeon
/wij"euhn/, n., pl. widgeons, (esp. collectively) widgeon for 1.
1. any of several common freshwater ducks related to the mallards and teals in the genus Anas, having metallic green flight feathers, a white wing patch, and a buff or white forehead, including A. penelope of Eurasia and North Africa, A. sibilatrix of South America, and the baldpate, A. americana, of North America.
2. Obs. a fool. Also, wigeon.
[1505-15; perh. < an AF correspondent of F vigeon < VL; cf. ML vipio kind of crane (deriv. of vip- imit. of bird's cry)]

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Widgeon — Widg eon, n. [Probably from an old French form of F. vigeon, vingeon, gingeon; of uncertain origin; cf. L. vipio, onis, a kind of small crane.] (Zo[ o]l.) Any one of several species of fresh water ducks, especially those belonging to the subgenus …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • widgeon — [wij′ən] n. pl. widgeons or widgeon alt. sp. of WIGEON …   English World dictionary

  • Widgeon — Многоцелевой вертолёт. Вертолёт создан компанией «Westland». Проект является модернизированной версией вертолёта Westland Sikorsky WS 51 Dragonfly. Первый полёт совершил в 1955 году. Было построено 14 вариантов вертолёта. Тактико технические… …   Википедия

  • widgeon — migratory wild duck, 1510s, perhaps from some variant of Fr. vigeon, which some trace to L. vipionem (nom. vipio), a kind of small crane, a Balearic word, perhaps imitative. OED, however, finds all this very dubious …   Etymology dictionary

  • widgeon — /ˈwɪdʒən/ (say wijuhn) noun 1. any of several freshwater ducks, especially Eurasian widgeon, Anas penelope, of Eurasia and North America. 2. → pink eared duck. 3. Obsolete a fool. Also, wigeon. {origin obscure} …  

  • widgeon — variant of wigeon …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • widgeon — freshwater duck Unusual Animals …   Phrontistery dictionary

  • widgeon — widg·eon || wɪdÊ’É™n n. wigeon, freshwater Eurasian duck having a white spot on each wing; wild freshwater North American duck having a shiny white crown …   English contemporary dictionary

  • widgeon — noun variant spelling of wigeon …   English new terms dictionary

  • widgeon — wid·geon …   English syllables

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