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Glite Dictionary
water turkey

water turkey

9.7
A large black water bird with a long neck and pointed beak that swims in swamps
  • noun
  • /ˈwɔːtər ˈtɜrki/
  • US
translation icon : 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 anhinga
vswater turkey
  • Specialized
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
anhinga
vswater turkey
  • US
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

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'.