A snipe or other similar game bird; a variant spelling of 'bécassine' from French.
From French 'bécassine,' a diminutive of 'bécasse' (woodcock), referring to smaller snipe-like birds. Used in English culinary and ornithological contexts.
The French naming convention for these birds—'bécasse' (woodcock), 'bécassine' (snipe)—shows how Romance languages use diminutives not just for size but to create delicate taxonomic distinctions.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.