diving duck

noun

: any of various ducks (such as a bufflehead) that frequent deep waters and obtain their food by diving

Examples of diving duck in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Canvasbacks were a favorite diving duck among market hunters during the late 1800s and early 1900s, with individual birds sometimes commanding the outrageous price of $2 per bird. M.d. Johnson, Field & Stream, 30 Nov. 2023 Uniquely handsome, challenging on the wing, widely distributed, and excellent on the table, the canvasback is the paragon of diving ducks, just as the mallard symbolizes the dabblers. M.d. Johnson, Field & Stream, 8 Nov. 2023 However, 99 percent of North American waterfowl will fall into one of two categories, either dabbling ducks or diving ducks. M.d. Johnson, Field & Stream, 2 Nov. 2023 The park is also known for attracting a striking species of diving duck called a redhead. Dodai Stewart, New York Times, 6 June 2023 This new dinosaur species closely resembles a deep-diving duck and further highlights the diversity of the species that likely existed during the age of dinosaurs. Sara Novak, Discover Magazine, 28 Dec. 2022 Among the diving duck species estimated in the survey, scaup (greater and lesser combined) were estimated at 3.6 million, 28% below the long-term average but unchanged from 2019. Paul A. Smith, Journal Sentinel, 21 Aug. 2022 But both of those were diving ducks, which dive underwater for food like loons. Chelsey Lewis, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 24 July 2019

Word History

First Known Use

1813, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of diving duck was in 1813

Dictionary Entries Near diving duck

Cite this Entry

“Diving duck.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diving%20duck. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on diving duck

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!