jaçana

[ zhah-suh-nah, jah- ]

noun

1. any of several tropical, ploverlike, aquatic birds of the family Jacanidae, most of them having extremely long toes and claws for walking on floating water plants.

jaçana

/ ˌdʒæ-; ˌʒɑːsəˈnɑː /

noun

1. any bird of the family Jacanidae , of tropical and subtropical marshy regions, having long legs and very long toes that enable walking on floating plants: order Charadriiformes Also calledlily-trotter

Word History and Origins

Origin of jaçana¹

1640–50; < Portuguese jaçanã < Tupi jasaná

Word History and Origins

Origin of jaçana¹

C18: from Portuguese jaçanã, from Tupi-Guarani jasaná