gannet

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a large mostly white seabird of the genus Morus that catches fish by plunging steeply into the sea

   The gannet folded its wings and dived headfirst into the water.

2. 2
   noun

   informal, especially British: a greedy or voracious eater

   He was such a gannet that no food remained after lunch.

Simplified etymology

Gannet comes from Old English ganot, a Germanic word related to Dutch gent, meaning “gander.” Its later use for a greedy person first appeared in 1920s slang for a greedy sailor.

From Middle English ganet and Old English ganot, a Germanic bird name related to words for a gander or goose. The informal sense 'greedy eater' arose from the seabird's conspicuous feeding behavior.

Topics

External links

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• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary