Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun A waterfowl (Branta leucopsis) of northern Europe and Greenland that breeds in the Arctic and has a white face with a black streak between the eyes and bill.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun A black and white species of bird from the northern hemisphere, scientifically known as the Branta leucopsis
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun European goose smaller than the brant; breeds in the far north
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
[Earlier barnacle; see barnacle.]
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
Because this goose nests in the far north, Europeans never saw its chicks, and invented a theory that the goose barnacle is the larval form of the barnacle goose.
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Examples
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dystopos commented on the word barnacle goose
see anatiferous
July 10, 2007
frindley commented on the word barnacle goose
In the Mediæval Bestiary:
"Barnacle geese come from trees that grow over water. These trees produce birds that look like small geese; the young birds hang from their beaks from the trees. When the birds are mature enough, they fall from the trees; any that fall into the water float and are safe, but those that fall on land die."
October 12, 2008
sionnach commented on the word barnacle goose
Their roots so deeply soaked send from their stocky boughs
A soft and sappy gum, from which these tree-geese grow;
Still great and greater thrive, until you well may see
Them turned to perfect fowls; when dropping from the tree
Into the merry pond which under them doth lie,
Wax ripe, and taking wing, away in flocks do fly.
(17th century poet, Michael Drayton)
November 18, 2008