A gannet refers to a large seabird known for plummeting to catch fish, or metaphorically, a greedy person. The name traces back to Old English and relates to a perception of its voracious appetite.
A gannet is a large seabird that dives for fish, or a greedy person. The term comes from Old English and relates to the Indo-European root for 'goose,' acknowledging a perceived greediness in the bird's feeding habits.
| Back | gannet /GAN-it/ |
|---|---|
| Front | noun 1. A large seabird known for catching fish by diving from a height. 2. A greedy person. [From Old English ganot. Ultimately from the Indo-European root ghans- (goose), which also gave us goose, gosling, gander, and gunsel. Earliest documented use: before 1000. Gannets’ reputation for being greedy isn’t deserved though. See here.] “Michael Buerk -- I am afraid there is no delicate way to put this -- is a gannet. He steals the very food from your plate. I recall one meal when he had polished off his own steak while I was eating rather more delicately. ‘Don’t you want the rest of that?’ he asked. And before I could answer, it was gone." - Broadcaster John Humphrys, The Things They Say...; The Western Morning News (Plymouth, UK); Dec 8, 2014. “You’re going to have to pace yourself. Nobody likes a gannet, even at a buffet.” - Gareth May; The Ultimate Buffet Etiquette Guide; China Daily (Beijing); July 11, 2015. |
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