Seaduck

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A stocky diving duck that lives mainly in cold northern coastal waters and feeds on shellfish and other marine animals
2. Any of several sturdy sea-going ducks, such as eiders and scoters, that dive deep to forage in northern oceans
3. A hardy duck of the northern seas, often found in large flocks along rocky shores and open coastal bays

Etymology: Seaduck is about as transparent as English compounds get: "sea" plus "duck," with the sense of a duck that lives on or near the ocean. The compound is built from two plain Old English-derived elements, and nothing about its formation hides a surprise. "Duck" itself goes back to Old English "duce," from a root meaning to dive or duck under, which is a neat fit for birds that spend so much of their time under the water's surface. The point of the compound is to group together a family of birds that look alike at a distance but are not all true ducks in the strict sense. Sea ducks, such as eiders, scoters and scaup, are diving birds that forage in coastal and marine waters, and the name separates them from dabbling ducks that feed mostly on shallow ponds and marshes.