Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
greenwing

greenwing

9.3
A small duck with a green patch on its wing that lives in marshes
  • noun
  • /ˈɡriːnˌwɪŋ/
  • UK
translation icon : pato de alas verdes
  • The small greenwing ducks are known for their distinctive green patches on their wings.
  • greenwing teal

Examples

  • Birdwatchers flock to the wetlands to observe the vibrant greenwing teal as they forage for food.

  • But suddenly the air came alive with the sound of ducks' wingbeats—greenwings and cinnamons spilling through the dark.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • During the migration season, many greenwings can be spotted resting on the lakes in Eurasia.

Synonyms

teal
vsgreenwing
2 4.1

A small duck with a short neck that feeds in shallow water

is the specific species identified by a green patch on its wings
green-winged teal
vsgreenwing
  • Specialized
1 7.3

A small duck that has a bright green patch on its wings

is the same common duck name used more generally in English
Anas crecca
vsgreenwing
  • Specialized
9.9

A small duck with a green eye patch that feeds in shallow water

is the everyday English name for the same species

Surface Forms

greenwing singular
greenwings plural

Morphology

greenwing = green + wing (transparent) = green + wing

A straightforward compound: the components 'green' + 'wing' clearly describe a wing that is green, which directly names the bird.

Etymology

Greenwing combines green and wing, so it literally means 'green wing' and names a small duck with a bright green patch on its wing. That's why the name points to the common teal and makes the bird easy to spot in the marshes.