English
steamer
From steam + -er.
Formed from steam + -er
Proto-Germanic *staubaz ‘dust’
Proto-Germanic *staumaz ‘steam, vapour’
Old English stēam ‘steam’
Middle English steem
English steam
The story
The steamer duck or steamer (sense 6.2) is apparently named for its resemblance to a paddle steamer when swimming rapidly. The feces sense comically evokes the idea of steaming hot food and probably reflects that fresh feces sometimes give off visible water vapor in cold outdoor conditions such as those encountered by hunters, campers, and soldiers.
Today it means
noun A vessel in which articles are subjected to the action of steam, as in washing and in various processes of manufacture.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / steamer