moorhen
UK /ˈmʊəɹˌhɛn/ · US /ˈmʊɹˌhɛn/ noun
Forms moorhens
- noun Any of various medium-sized water birds of the genus Gallinula, of the rail family, that feed in open water margins.
- noun (UK) A female red grouse, Lagopus lagopus scotica.
Synonyms
marsh hen gallinule stank hen stankie moggy Gallinula chloropus
Etymology
From Middle English morhen, perhaps from Old English *mōrhenn, an alteration of Old English worhenn (compare coordinate masculine term mōrhana, a possible corruption of worhana (“pheasant”)), equivalent to moor + hen.
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 — from the Wiktionary entry “moorhen”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details