mudlark

The story

From mud + lark.

First known use, by meaning

• from 18th c. A pig; pork.
• from 18th c. One who scavenges in river or harbor mud for items of value, especially in London.
• from 19th c. A child who plays in the mud; a child that spends most of its time in the streets, a street urchin.
• from 19th c. A soldier of the Royal Engineers.
• from 19th c. Any of various birds that are found in muddy places or build their nests with mud, especially Anthus petrosus and Alauda arvensis.
• from 19th c. The Grallina cyanoleuca that builds its nest with mud into a bowl-like shape.
• from 20th c. A racehorse that performs well on muddy or wet tracks.