1735-45; < Icelandicæthar (in 18th century spelled ædar), genitive singular of æthur eider duck, in phrase ædar dūnn down of the eider duck; spelling eider < German or Swedish
Examples from the web for eider
Seasonal movements and distribution of the spectacled eider.
British Dictionary definitions for eider
eider
/ˈaɪdə/
noun
1.
any of several sea ducks of the genus Somateria, esp S. mollissima, and related genera, which occur in the N hemisphere. The male has black and white plumage, and the female is the source of eiderdown
Word Origin
C18: from Old Norse æthr; related to Swedish ejder, Dutch, German Eider
Word Origin and History for eider
n.
1743, from German Eider or Dutch eider, both from Old Norse æþar, genitive of æþr "duck," from a North Germanic root.