waterfowl

noun

wa·​ter·​fowl ˈwȯ-tər-ˌfau̇(-ə)l 

ˈwä-

plural waterfowl also waterfowls

: a bird that frequents water

especially : a swimming game bird (such as a duck or goose) as distinguished from an upland game bird or shorebird

Examples of waterfowl in a Sentence

The lake is a refuge for migrating waterfowl.

Recent Examples on the Web

The nature of the terrain mostly suits waterfowl, and serves as a base for duck hunting in the winter. —Jake Goodrick, Sacbee.com, 4 Sep. 2025

And recent outbreaks of the avian flu have killed off millions of waterfowl and shorebirds. —Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 3 Sep. 2025

Their 30-plus-page, free guide offers seasonal tips and regional recommendations for spotting bird species such as bald eagles, sandhill cranes, warblers, waterfowl and rare migratory visitors. —Michele Herrmann, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025

In particular, their work included leaping into water to find waterfowl, as the American Kennel Club (AKC) notes that swimming and fetching are their natural pastimes. —Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for waterfowl

• afoul
• wildfowl
• foul
• foule
• fowl
• growl
• howl
• jowl
• owl
• prowl
• scowl

Kids Definition

waterfowl

noun

wa·​ter·​fowl ˈwȯt-ər-ˌfau̇l 

ˈwät-

plural waterfowl also waterfowls

: a bird that is found in or near water

especially : a swimming bird (as a duck or goose) often hunted as game