wood duck

noun

: a showy American duck (Aix sponsa) which nests in tree cavities and the males of which have a large crest and iridescent plumage varied with green, purple, black, white, and chestnut

Illustration of wood duck

Illustration of wood duck

Examples of wood duck in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
On a sweltering late-July afternoon, a mother wood duck and her seven ducklings tucked into a shady spot on the island in Bay View’s Humboldt Park Pond. Caitlin Looby, Journal Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2024 Crum’s explorations of blue catfish stomachs turned up all kinds of fish, from alewife to yellow perch, and even a wood duck. Dan Rodricks, Baltimore Sun, 1 Aug. 2024 The flip side Thanks so much to Joey and Dan for putting up wood duck houses on Lake Bell! Ticked Off, Orlando Sentinel, 28 June 2024 Some species, including wood ducks, buffleheads and mergansers, will stay in the forested areas of Wisconsin and Minnesota to nest in tree cavities. Journal Sentinel, 22 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for wood duck 

Word History

First Known Use

1777, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of wood duck was in 1777

Dictionary Entries Near wood duck

Cite this Entry

“Wood duck.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wood%20duck. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

wood duck

noun
: a showy American duck which nests in the hollowed-out spaces of trees and the male of which has a large crest on the head and feathers colored with green, black, purple, white, and brown

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