jaçana
[ zhah-suh-nah, jah- ]
/ ˌʒɑ səˈnɑ, ˌdʒɑ- /
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noun
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.
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Also called lily-trotter.
Origin of jaçana
1640–50; <Portuguese jaçanã<Tupi jasaná
Words nearby jaçana
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
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British Dictionary definitions for jaçana
jaçana
/ (ˌʒɑːsəˈnɑː, ˌdʒæ-) /
noun
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 CharadriiformesAlso called: lily-trotter
Word Origin for jaçana
C18: from Portuguese jaçanã, from Tupi-Guarani jasaná
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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