wild goose

noun

plural wild geese
1
: an undomesticated goose: such as
a
England : greylag
b
: canada goose
2
: an Irish Jacobite who left Ireland after the abdication of James II and served in the French army
broadly : an expatriate Irishman

Word History

Etymology

Middle English wilde gos, from Old English wilde gōs, from wilde wild + gōs goose

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Cite this Entry

“Wild goose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wild%20goose. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

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