widgeon

or wig·eon

[ wij-uhn ]

noun

, plural widg·eons, (especially collectively) widg·eon

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. Obsolete. a fool.

widgeon

/ ˈwɪdʒən /

noun

1. a variant spelling of wigeon

Word History and Origins

Origin of widgeon¹

First recorded in 1505–15; perhaps from an Anglo-French correspondent of French vigeon, from Vulgar Latin; compare Medieval Latin vipiō “kind of crane” (derivative of vip- imitative of a bird's cry)

Example Sentences

The bitterns boomed and the marsh harriers skimmed over the reeds and millions of widgeon and mallard and tufted ducks flew about m various wedges, looking like champagne bottles balanced on a nimbus of wings.

From Literature

Also spotted, but in fewer numbers, were snow geese, buffleheads, redheads, goldeneyes, American widgeon, ruddy, ring-necked, canvasbacks, scaup and wood ducks.

From Washington Times

The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food says test results show an American widgeon duck had the H5N8 strain of the flu.

From Washington Times

With the mild weather there still are numbers of widgeon, teal, and gadwall around mostly on the smaller water.

From Seattle Times

These four varieties are the best known, but the widgeon and blue-wing are also plentiful, and outside these are at least half a dozen varieties less familiar to Australian sportsmen.

From Project Gutenberg