GANNET

PRONUNCIATION: (GAN-it)

MEANING: noun:
1. A large seabird known for catching fish by diving from a height.
2. A greedy person.

ETYMOLOGY: 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.

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GARNET - a bird that swears mildly when it misses the fish it's diving for

GRANNET - a hard stone composed of little grains

RANNET - 1. sent up the flagpole (but no one saluted); 2. a small frog