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Glite Dictionary
water turkey

water turkey

1 9.7
A large black water bird with a long neck and pointed beak that swims in swamps
  • noun
  • /ˈwɔːtər ˈtɜrki/
  • US
: anhinga
  • The water turkey gets its name from its turkey-like tail and habit of swimming with only its neck above water.

Examples

  • We spotted a water turkey drying its wings on a branch above the swamp.

  • Photographers are drawn to the unique silhouette of the water turkey as it glides through the wetlands.

  • I spotted a water turkey near the lake.

  • The water turkeys are often seen in wetlands.

  • The water turkey gracefully dove into the water to catch its prey.

  • We watched a water turkey spread its wings to dry in the warm sun.

  • As we paddled through the marsh, a water turkey emerged from the reeds.

Synonyms

waterbird
vswater turkey
1 2.4

A bird that lives near fresh water and swims or wades

is the specific species rather than the general group of water dwellers
water bird
vswater turkey
1 1.7

A bird that lives in or near fresh water like lakes and rivers

is the particular swamp species rather than the general freshwater group
aquatic bird
vswater turkey
1 3.5

A bird that lives near water and can swim, wade or dive

is the single swamp species rather than the broad water adapted group
anhinga
vswater turkey
  • US
1 9.9

A water bird that eats fish and has a long thin neck and a sharp beak

emphasizes its dark appearance and swamp habitat rather than its fish diet
Anhinga anhinga
vswater turkey
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A large black water bird with a long neck that swims with only its head above water in swamps

is the common everyday name rather than the formal Latin label

Surface Forms

water turkey singular
water turkeys plural

Morphology

water + turkey

The compound 'water turkey' is directly interpretable as a bird ('turkey') associated with water, so a learner who knows 'water' and 'turkey' can infer it denotes a water-dwelling bird. Although it names a particular species (the anhinga), the noun+noun composition (water + animal) is a common, cross-linguistic pattern, making the meaning transparently derivable from the parts.

Etymology

Water turkey comes from how the bird looks: it swims with only its long neck showing and has a tail like a land turkey, so people saw a turkey in the water. That's why the name means 'a large black water bird with a long neck and a pointed beak'.