eider

[ ahy-der ]

Origin of eider

1
1735–45; <Icelandic æthar (in 18th century spelled ædar), genitive singular of æthur eider duck, in phrase ædar dūnn down of the eider duck; spelling eider<German or Swedish

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How to use eider in a sentence

  • Like all of the other Eiders the females are mottled brown and black, the different species being very difficult to separate.

    Western Bird Guide | Chester A. (Chester Albert) Reed, Harry F. Harvey, and Rex I. Brasher
  • This species nest similar to the Eiders, concealing it under overhanging rocks or in tufts of grass.

    Western Bird Guide | Chester A. (Chester Albert) Reed, Harry F. Harvey, and Rex I. Brasher
  • Like all the other Eiders, the female is mottled brown and black, the different species being very difficult to separate.

    The Bird Book | Chester A. Reed
  • This species nest as do the Eiders, often concealing the nest, of grass and feathers, under some overhanging rock.

    The Bird Book | Chester A. Reed
  • Like the rest of the true Eiders, this species is black beneath and mostly white above.

    The Bird Book | Chester A. Reed

British Dictionary definitions for eider

eider

eider duck

/ (ˈaɪdə) /


noun
  1. any of several sea ducks of the genus Somateria, esp S. mollissima, and related genera, which occur in the N hemisphere. The male has black and white plumage, and the female is the source of eiderdown

Origin of eider

1
C18: from Old Norse æthr; related to Swedish ejder, Dutch, German Eider

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012