Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Widgeon?

\Widg"eon\, n. [Probably from an old French form of F. vigeon, vingeon, gingeon; of uncertain origin; cf. L. vipio, -onis, a kind of small crane.] (Zo["o]l.) Any one of several species of fresh-water ducks, especially those belonging to the subgenus {Mareca}, of the genus {Anas}. The common European widgeon ({Anas penelope}) and the American widgeon ({A. Americana}) are the most important species. The latter is called also {baldhead}, {baldpate}, {baldface}, {baldcrown}, {smoking duck}, {wheat}, {duck}, and {whitebelly}. {Bald-faced}, or {Green-headed}, widgeon, the American widgeon. {Black widgeon}, the European tufted duck. {Gray widgeon}. (a) The gadwall. (b) The pintail duck. {Great headed widgeon}, the poachard. {Pied widgeon}. (a) The poachard. (b) The goosander. {Saw-billed widgeon}, the merganser. {Sea widgeon}. See in the Vocabulary. {Spear widgeon}, the goosander. [Prov. Eng.] {Spoonbilled widgeon}, the shoveler. {White widgeon}, the smew. {Wood widgeon}, the wood duck.