sheldrake

American  

[shel-dreyk] / ˈʃɛlˌdreɪk /

noun

plural

sheldrakes,

plural

sheldrake

1. any of several Old World ducks of the genus Tadorna, certain species of which have highly variegated plumage.

2. any of various other ducks, especially the goosander or merganser.

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Etymology

Origin of sheldrake

1275–1325; Middle English sheldedrake, equivalent to sheld particolored + drake drake ¹

Example Sentences

The ruddy sheldrake, or Brahminy, is found all over Tibet, and will be associated with the memory of nearly every march and camping-ground.

From The Unveiling of Lhasa by Candler, Edmund

But as she fell into the water she became a sheldrake duck.”

From The Science of Fairy Tales An Inquiry into Fairy Mythology by Hartland, Edwin Sidney

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

The tame bird is no bigger than a domestic duck; the wild sheldrake, flying about in the strong sunshine, looks almost as large as a goose.

From Birds and Man by Hudson, W. H. (William Henry)

The sheldrake ducks also have a fleshy growth on the bill.

From The Log of the Sun A Chronicle of Nature's Year by Beebe, William