- goatsucker
- noun Date: 1611 nightjar
New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.
goatsucker
Look at other dictionaries:
Goatsucker — Goat suck er, n. (Zo[ o]l.) One of several species of insectivorous birds, belonging to {Caprimulgus} and allied genera, esp. the European species ({Caprimulgus Europ[ae]us}); so called from the mistaken notion that it sucks goats. The European… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
goatsucker — [gōt′suk΄ər] n. [transl. of L caprimulgus < capri, goat + mulgere, to milk: it was thought to suck milk from goats] any of an order (Caprimulgiformes) of large mouthed, usually nocturnal birds that feed on insects or fruit; esp., any of the… … English World dictionary
goatsucker — /goht suk euhr/, n. nightjar (def. 2). [1605 15; so called because formerly believed to suck the milk of goats; trans. of L caprimulgus, itself trans. of Gk aigothélas] * * * alternative name of birds of the family Caprimulgidae, otherwise… … Universalium
goatsucker — noun Any bird in the nightjar family Caprimulgidae … Wiktionary
goatsucker — n. nightjar, species of insectivorous nocturnal bird from the genus Caprimulgus … English contemporary dictionary
goatsucker — noun another term for nightjar … English new terms dictionary
goatsucker — goat•suck•er [[t]ˈgoʊtˌsʌk ər[/t]] n. orn any of numerous insect eating, mostly nocturnal birds of the family Caprimulgidae, of nearly worldwide distribution, including nightjars and nighthawks • Etymology: 1605–15; trans. of L caprimulgus,… … From formal English to slang
goatsucker — /ˈgoʊtsʌkə/ (say gohtsukuh) noun 1. the Eurasian nightjar, Caprimulgus europaeus, formerly supposed to suck the milk of goats. See nightjar (def. 2). 2. (formerly) any bird of the order Caprimulgiformes, as nightjars, frogmouths, owlet nightjars …
goatsucker — n. = NIGHTJAR … Useful english dictionary
European goatsucker — noun Old World goatsucker • Syn: ↑European nightjar, ↑Caprimulgus europaeus • Hypernyms: ↑goatsucker, ↑nightjar, ↑caprimulgid • Member Holonyms: ↑Caprimulgus, ↑ … Useful english dictionary
