barnacle goose
noun
1.
a wild goose,
Branta leucopsis,
of northern Europe and Greenland.
Origin
1760-70;
earlier
barnacle,
Middle English
bernacle;
compare
Middle French
bernacle,
Neo-Latin
bernacula,
all derivative of earlier
Middle English
bernak, bernekke,
Anglo-Latin
bernaca,
Old French
bernaque,
of uncertain origin
British Dictionary definitions for
barnacle goose
barnacle goose
noun
1.
a N European goose,
Branta leucopsis
, that has a black-and-white head and body and grey wings
2.
a former name for
brent goose
Word Origin
C13
bernekke
, related to Late Latin
bernaca
, from the belief that the goose developed from a shellfish; ultimate origin obscure