anserine

Or an·ser·ous

[an-suh-rahyn, -rin]

adjective

1. of or relating to the subfamily Anserinae, of the family Anatidae, comprising the true geese.

2. resembling a goose; gooselike.

3. stupid; foolish; silly.

anserine

/ ˈænsəˌraɪn, -rɪn, ˈænsərəs /

adjective

1. of or resembling a goose

2. of, relating to, or belonging to the subfamily Anserinae, which includes geese, swans, and certain ducks: family Anatidae, order Anseriformes

3. silly; foolish

Word History and Origins

Origin of anserine¹

1830–40; < Latin anserīnus of, pertaining to geese, equivalent to anser goose + -īnus -ine ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of anserine¹

C19: from Latin anserīnus, from anser goose

Example Sentences

The water temperature was turned up — way up, she said — because the models were afflicted with cutis anserine, better known as goose bumps.

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I scorn the anserine Gladstonian throng, Whose mouthpiece is the Gaily Dews.

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Maggi's Instruments for Gunshot Wounds:-- 6 a, b, c, separable bullet forceps; 7, bullet spatula; 8, 9, anserine bullet forceps, separable and with a screw-crushing arrangement.

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Since then he had respected her person, but to the day of his death he had cursed her for anserine stupidity.

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Words with a long i, if they came early through France, shorten the vowel, as 'doctrine', 'discipline', 'medicine', and 'masculine', while 'genuine', though a later word, followed them, but 'anserine' and 'leonine' did not.

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