goosander

Jul. 31st, 2013 07:12 am
prettygoodword: text: words are sexy (words are sexy)
[personal profile] prettygoodword
goosander (goo-SAN-der) - n., the common merganser (Mergus merganser), a fish-eating duck of Europe and North America.


This is a common British name, not used in America. The origin is unknown, and the fact that it was originally (starting in the early 17th century) spelled gossander makes it harder to assume that goose has anything to do with it. (Merganser comes from Latin, meaning diving goose.)

---L.

Date: 2013-07-31 04:46 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] thistleingrey.livejournal.com
OED2 (1900) cites Poly-Olbion for its first sighting. :P

Date: 2013-07-31 11:38 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] prettygoodword.livejournal.com
That would be where it picked it up.

---L.

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