Standard Lemma guide

gallinule

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • /ˈɡælɪnjuːl/

1

noun

Meaning 1

A bird of one of several species in the genera Porphyrio and Gallinula of the family Rallidae.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

any of various small aquatic birds of the genus Gallinula distinguished from rails by a frontal shield and a resemblance to domestic hens

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: marsh hen, water hen, swamphen

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: aquatic bird

Narrower terms: Florida gallinule, Gallinula chloropus cachinnans, moorhen, Gallinula chloropus, purple gallinule

History

Etymology

From French gallinule, from Latin gallinula.

Across languages

Translations

2 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: liejukana — birds in genera Porphyrio and Gallinula
  • Finnish: sulttaanikana — birds in genera Porphyrio and Gallinula