sheldrake
Americannoun
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any of several Old World ducks of the genus Tadorna, certain species of which have highly variegated plumage.
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any of various other ducks, especially the goosander or merganser.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of sheldrake
1275–1325; Middle English sheldedrake, equivalent to sheld particolored + drake drake 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In the case of the sheldrake, the exaggerated size may be an effect of strong sunlight on a flying white object.
From Birds and Man by Hudson, W. H. (William Henry)
Just above, at the foot of the trout pool, a brood of sheldrake were croaking and splashing about in the shallows.
From A Little Brother to the Bear and other Animal Stories by Long, William J. (William Joseph)
There were several species of land birds; and the aquatic fowl were ducks, teal, and the sheldrake.
From A Voyage to Terra Australis — Volume 1 by Flinders, Matthew
A northern term for the sheldrake, Tadorna vulpanser.
From The Sailor's Word-Book An Alphabetical Digest of Nautical Terms, including Some More Especially Military and Scientific, but Useful to Seamen; as well as Archaisms of Early Voyagers, etc. by Belcher, Edward, Sir
Sheldrakes.—The chakwâ, male, and chakwî, female, is the ruddy goose or sheldrake, known to Europeans as the Brâhmanî duck, Anas casarca or Casarca rutila.
From Tales of the Punjab by Steel, Flora Annie
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
