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Definition of goosander
goosander
/ɡuːˈsændər/
goo · san · der
Plural:goosanders
goosander Lexical Profile
CEFR
C2
Grade
12
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
goosander Game Scores & Validity
Scrabble US
Scrabble UK
WWF
Wordle Guess
• noun
1
A large, fish-eating duck (Mergus merganser) of the sawbill family, native to the rivers and lakes of Eurasia, characterized by a narrow, serrated beak used to catch prey.
Example
"The birdwatcher was thrilled to spot a male goosander diving for small fish in the cold waters of the Scottish loch."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for goosanderWord Nuance & Usage
In North America, this species is almost exclusively referred to as the 'common merganser', whereas 'goosander' is the standard common name used in British and Eurasian ornithology.
• Rhymes for goosander
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Late 16th century: likely a compound of 'goose' and 'gander', reflecting its size which is intermediate between a typical duck and a goose. Alternatively, it may derive from Old Norse 'gás-önd' (goose-duck).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Goosander. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 14, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/goosander