cockawee

[ < Algonk., perhaps through Cdn F ; cf. Micmac kakawegech wild duck ]

DCHP-1 (pre-1967)

Spelling variants:
cac(c)awee

This entry may contain outdated or offensive information, terms, and examples.

a common duck, Clangula hyemalis, of the northern hemisphere.

1760

The coast around these islands swarms . . . with all sorts of wild fowl, as bustards, crevans . . . cacaouis. . . .

1853

There is the "old wife" or "old squaw" . . . called by the voyageurs "caccawié," from its fancied utterance of these syllables. . . .

1896

Red-throated loons and cacawees were the most abundant of the water birds.

1904

Of the sea-duck there are many varieties . . . loon, teal, and cock-a-wie. . . .

1959

OLD SQUAW . . . cockawee (Spelled in numerous other ways . . . Nfld., "Labr.," Que., Ont., "N.W.T.," B.C.). . . .