teal

teal

noun \ˈtēl\

plural teal or teals

Definition of TEAL

1

: any of various widely distributed small short-necked dabblers (genus Anas) — compare blue-winged teal, green-winged teal

2

: teal blue

Illustration of TEAL

Origin of TEAL

Middle English tele; akin to Middle Dutch teling teal

First Known Use: 14th century

Rhymes with TEAL

ceil, chiel, creel, deal, deil, eel, feel, heal, heel, keel, Kiel, kneel, leal, meal, peal, peel, real, reel, seal, seel, shiel, speel, spiel, squeal, steal, steel, Steele, streel, tuille, veal, weal, wheal, wheel, zeal

teal

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Holarctic American green-winged teal drake (Anas crecca carolinensis).—Gordon Langsbury/Bruce Coleman Inc.

Any of about 15 species (genus Anas, family Anatidae) of small dabbling ducks found on the major continents and many islands. Many are popular game birds. The Holarctic green-winged teal, usually found in a dense flock, is 13–15 in. (33–38 cm) long. The small blue-winged teal breeds across Canada and the northern U.S. and winters south of the U.S. The Hottentot teal of Africa frequently remains immobile among vegetation even when shots are fired nearby. Teal are primarily herbivorous, but some species eat small animals. Flocks of many species take off and change direction in unison.