phalarope Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun small sandpiper-like shorebird having lobate toes and being good swimmers; breed in the Arctic and winter in the tropics

WordNet

Phal"a*rope noun
Etymology
Gr. having a patch of white + , , a foot: cf. F. phalarope.
Definitions
  1. (Zoöl.) Any species of Phalaropus and allied genera of small wading birds (Grallæ), having lobate toes. They are often seen far from land, swimming in large flocks. Called also sea goose.

Webster 1913