red-breasted merganser
- noun
- /ˈrɛdˈbrɛstɪd mɜrˈɡænzər/
- UK
:
merganso de pecho rojo
- The red-breasted merganser is a beautiful bird.
Examples
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The male red-breasted merganser is easily recognized by its striking crest and reddish chest.
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We spotted a red-breasted merganser gliding across the lake early this morning.
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During migration, flocks of red-breasted mergansers are commonly seen along coastal waters.
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Look at that red-breasted merganser flying overhead!
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During the spring, we often see red-breasted mergansers swimming gracefully in the lake.
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Birdwatchers eagerly await the arrival of red-breasted mergansers each year as they migrate back to their nesting grounds.
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The red-breasted merganser, with its distinctive shaggy crest, is a favorite among birdwatchers in coastal areas.
Synonyms
1
9.9
A large diving duck with a crest on its head and a narrow hooked bill that eats fish
A diving duck with a spiky crest and a thin, saw-edged bill that eats fish
A large diving duck with a crest and a thin hooked bill for catching fish
A large diving bird that lives by the sea and dives for food
Surface Forms
Morphology
red-breasted + merganser
The phrase is compositionally built from a color+body descriptor ('red-breasted' = having a red breast) plus a species name ('merganser' = a type of duck), so a learner who knows both constituents can infer it denotes a merganser with a red breast. Color + noun species compounds are common and follow a straightforward descriptive pattern, making the meaning immediately accessible to B1 learners.
Etymology
Red-breasted merganser may come from a simple description: red-breasted points to the bird's reddish chest, and merganser is an old word for a 'diving duck' that catches fish with a thin bill, so the name helps you picture a fish-catching duck with a red breast.