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 ( see buff ¹) + head

Example Sentences

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 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

You tip this ol' bufflehead into watter,' you said, 'an' gormed if I don't give 'ee a poond note.'

From Love Among the Chickens by Wodehouse, P. G. (Pelham Grenville)

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

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

From The Heart of the Range by White, William Patterson