summer duck
- noun
- /ˈsʌmər dʌk/
- US
:
pato de verano
- The male summer duck is known for its striking, colorful feathers.
Examples
-
A pair of summer ducks made their nest in the old oak tree near the river.
-
We occasionally spotted a summer duck gliding across the calm waters in spring.
-
The summer duck is a stunning bird.
-
I saw a summer duck at the lake yesterday.
-
A pair of summer ducks made their nest in the old oak tree near the river.
-
The male summer duck is known for its striking, colorful feathers.
-
We occasionally spotted a summer duck gliding across the calm waters in spring.
Synonyms
1
5.8
A brightly colored North American duck that nests in tree holes near water
A colorful duck from North America that nests in hollow trees
A brightly colored North American duck that nests in hollow trees
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound 'summer duck' directly combines 'summer' (the season) and 'duck' (a bird) so a learner who knows both words will infer it denotes a type or duck associated with summer. This is a simple noun–noun modifier pattern common across languages and is therefore compositionally transparent to a B1 learner.
Etymology
The name summer duck comes from the bird's bright, showy feathers and its habit of nesting in hollow trees during the warm months. People imagined a 'duck in summer clothes', so summer + duck became a simple name for this colorful bird, and that is why the term now means 'a colorful North American duck'.