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waterfowl

American

[waw-ter-foul, wot-er-] / ˈwɔ tərˌfaʊl, ˈwɒt ər- /

noun

plural

waterfowls,

plural

waterfowl

a water bird, especially a swimming bird.
such birds taken collectively, especially the swans, geese, and ducks.

waterfowl British

/ ˈwɔːtəˌfaʊl /

noun

any aquatic freshwater bird, esp any species of the family Anatidae (ducks, geese, and swans)
such birds collectively

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of waterfowl

1250–1300; Middle English; cognate with German Wasservogel; water, fowl

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.

Don Phillips, head waterfowl warden, said it was not the first time nests had been lost.

From BBC • Mar. 1, 2026

The researchers suggest that these young eagles could be taking advantage of seasonal food bonanzas such as spawning salmon, nesting waterfowl, or carcasses of large mammals.

From Science Daily • Dec. 11, 2025

The avian influenza virus known as H5N1 has threatened U.S. poultry farms since 2022, after migratory waterfowl carried a new strain of the virus into North and South America.

From Barron's • Oct. 28, 2025

Compared to most conservative-skewing programming, “Duck Dynasty: The Revival” is gentle, even taking into account the hints at waterfowl murder.

From Salon • Jun. 1, 2025

I went ashore and looked around, but all I saw were plants, insects, and waterfowl.

From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023