scoter

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: sco=ter

CIDE DICTIONARY

scoter, n. [Cf. Prov. E. scote to plow up.].

 Any one of several species of northern sea ducks of the genus Oidemia.  [1913 Webster]
" The European scoters are Oidemia nigra, called also black duck, black diver, surf duck; and the velvet, or double, scoter (O. fusca). The common American species are the velvet, or white-winged, scoter (O. Deglandi), called also velvet duck, white-wing, bull coot, white-winged coot; the black scoter (O. Americana), called also black coot, butterbill, coppernose; and the surf scoter, or surf duck (O. perspicillata), called also baldpate, skunkhead, horsehead, patchhead, pishaug, and spectacled coot. These birds are collectively called also coots. The females and young are called gray coots, and brown coots."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

scoter, n. (pl. same or scoters) a large marine duck of the genus Melanitta.

Etymology

17th c.: orig. unkn.