goatsucker

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• Goatsucker — Goat suck er, n. (Zo[ o]l.) One of several species of insectivorous birds, belonging to {Caprimulgus} and allied genera, esp. the European species ({Caprimulgus Europ[ae]us}); so called from the mistaken notion that it sucks goats. The European… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

• goatsucker — [gōt′suk΄ər] n. [transl. of L caprimulgus < capri, goat + mulgere, to milk: it was thought to suck milk from goats] any of an order (Caprimulgiformes) of large mouthed, usually nocturnal birds that feed on insects or fruit; esp., any of the… …   English World dictionary

• goatsucker — /goht suk euhr/, n. nightjar (def. 2). [1605 15; so called because formerly believed to suck the milk of goats; trans. of L caprimulgus, itself trans. of Gk aigothélas] * * *       alternative name of birds of the family Caprimulgidae, otherwise… …   Universalium

• goatsucker — noun Date: 1611 nightjar …   New Collegiate Dictionary

• goatsucker — noun Any bird in the nightjar family Caprimulgidae …   Wiktionary

• goatsucker — n. nightjar, species of insectivorous nocturnal bird from the genus Caprimulgus …   English contemporary dictionary

• goatsucker — noun another term for nightjar …   English new terms dictionary

• goatsucker — goat•suck•er [[t]ˈgoʊtˌsʌk ər[/t]] n. orn any of numerous insect eating, mostly nocturnal birds of the family Caprimulgidae, of nearly worldwide distribution, including nightjars and nighthawks • Etymology: 1605–15; trans. of L caprimulgus,… …   From formal English to slang

• goatsucker — /ˈgoʊtsʌkə/ (say gohtsukuh) noun 1. the Eurasian nightjar, Caprimulgus europaeus, formerly supposed to suck the milk of goats. See nightjar (def. 2). 2. (formerly) any bird of the order Caprimulgiformes, as nightjars, frogmouths, owlet nightjars …  

• goatsucker — n. = NIGHTJAR …   Useful english dictionary

• European goatsucker — noun Old World goatsucker • Syn: ↑European nightjar, ↑Caprimulgus europaeus • Hypernyms: ↑goatsucker, ↑nightjar, ↑caprimulgid • Member Holonyms: ↑Caprimulgus, ↑ …   Useful english dictionary