moorhen

Etymology

From Middle English morhen, perhaps from Old English *mōrhenn, an alteration of Old English wōrhenn (compare coordinate masculine term mōrhana, a possible corruption of wōrhana (“pheasant”)), equivalent to moor + hen.

noun

  1. Any of various medium-sized water birds of the genus Gallinula, of the rail family, that feed in open water margins.
  2. (Britain) A female red grouse, Lagopus lagopus scotica.

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