waterfowl

From Middle English waterfoul, water-foul, equivalent to water +‎ fowl. Compare Old English dopfugel (“waterfowl, moorhen”, literally “dipping-fowl”).

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waterfowl (plural waterfowl or waterfowls)

1. Any of the birds, such as ducks, geese and swans, that spend most of their non-flying time on water; especially those of the family Anatidae.

   Hypernyms: fowl < bird < animal < organism, species

   Coordinate term: landfowl

• water flow, waterflow