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gallinule

noun
gal·​li·​nule | \ ˈga-lə-ˌnül How to pronounce gallinule (audio) , -ˌnyül\

Definition of gallinule

: any of several aquatic birds of the rail family with long thin feet and a platelike frontal area on the head: such as
a : moorhen
b : one (Porphyrula martinica) found from the southern U.S. to Argentina that is purplish blue with olive-green upperparts, a red and yellow bill, and a light blue frontal area

Examples of gallinule in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

 Purple gallinules like this one live and nest in the tufts of rice in the lake. — Ben Raines | Braines@al.com, AL.com, "Stranded in the Delta with nothing but time and a camera," 30 Aug. 2017

First Known Use of gallinule

1776, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for gallinule

borrowed from New Latin Gallinula, genus that includes the moorhen, going back to Latin gallīnula "chicken," from gallīna "hen" + -ula -ule — more at gallinaceous

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