bufflehead

American  

[buhf-uhl-hed] / ˈbʌf əlˌhɛd /

noun

1. a small North American duck, Bucephala albeola, the male of which has bushy head plumage.

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bufflehead British  

/ ˈbʌfəlˌhɛd /

noun

1. Also called: butterball.  a small North American diving duck, Bucephala (or Glaucionetta ) albeola : the male has black-and-white plumage and a fluffy head

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Other Word Forms

• buffleheaded adjective

Etymology

Origin of bufflehead

1855–60, buffle ( buff ¹ ) + head

Example Sentences

You tip this ol' bufflehead into sea,' you said, 'an' gormed if I don't give 'ee a gould savrin.'

From Love Among the Chickens A Story of the Haps and Mishaps on an English Chicken Farm by Both, Armand

Look here, friends—take a look at the bufflehead!

From I Saw Three Ships and Other Winter Tales by Quiller-Couch, Arthur Thomas, Sir

He tells me that Townsend, of the Wardrobe, is the veriest knave and bufflehead that over he saw. 30th.

From The Diary of Samuel Pepys by Braybrooke, Richard Griffin, Baron

There is one bufflehead among them—no, two; the rest are coots,' I replied.

From In Search of the Unknown by Chambers, Robert W. (Robert William)

You don't wanna bull along regardless like a bufflehead in this, Racey.

From The Heart of the Range by White, William Patterson