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canary - 8 dictionary results
ca⋅nar⋅y
[kuh-nair-ee] 
noun, plural -nar⋅ies, adjective –noun
| 1. | any of several Old World finches of the genus Serinus, esp. S. canaria (common canary), native to the Canary Islands and often kept as a pet, in the wild being greenish with brown streaks above and yellow below and in domesticated varieties usually bright yellow or pale yellow. |
| 2. | Also called canary yellow. a light, clear yellow color. |
| 3. | Slang. informer (def. 1). |
| 4. | Slang. a female singer, esp. with a dance band. |
| 5. | a sweet white wine of the Canary Islands, resembling sherry. |
| 6. | a yellow diamond. |
–adjective
| 7. | having the color canary. |
Origin:
1585–95; < Sp (Isla) Canaria < L Canāria (insula) Dog (Island), equiv. to can(is) dog + -āria, fem. of -ārius -ary
1585–95; < Sp (Isla) Canaria < L Canāria (insula) Dog (Island), equiv. to can(is) dog + -āria, fem. of -ārius -ary
Canary Islands
–plural noun
| a group of mountainous islands in the Atlantic Ocean, near the NW coast of Africa, comprising two provinces of Spain. 1,138,801; 2894 sq. mi. (7495 sq. km). |
Also called Ca⋅nar⋅ies.
Related forms:
Ca⋅nar⋅i⋅an, adjective, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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|
Link To canary
| ca·nar·y (kə-nâr'ē) n. pl. ca·nar·ies
[French canari, from Spanish canario, of the Canary Islands, from (Islas) Canarias, Canary (Islands), from Late Latin Canāriae (Īnsulae), (islands) of dogs, from Latin canārius, pertaining to dogs, canine, from canis, dog; see kwon- in Indo-European roots.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Canary
Ca*na"ry\, a. [F. Canarie, L. Canaria insula one of the Canary islands, said to be so called from its large dogs, fr. canis dog.]1. Of or pertaining to the Canary Islands; as, canary wine; canary birds. 2. Of a pale yellowish color; as, Canary stone. Canary grass, a grass of the genus Phalaris (P. Canariensis), producing the seed used as food for canary birds. Canary stone (Min.), a yellow species of carnelian, named from its resemblance in color to the plumage of the canary bird. Canary wood, the beautiful wood of the trees Persea Indica and P. Canariensis, natives of Madeira and the Canary Islands. Canary vine. See Canary bird flower, under Canary bird.Canary
Ca*na"ry\, n.; pl. Canaries. 1. Wine made in the Canary Islands; sack. "A cup of canary." --Shak. 2. A canary bird. 3. A pale yellow color, like that of a canary bird. 4. A quick and lively dance. [Obs.] Make you dance canary With sprightly fire and motion. --Shak.Canary
Ca*na"ry\, v. i. To perform the canary dance; to move nimbly; to caper. [Obs.] But to jig of a tune at the tongue's end, canary to it with your feet. --Shak.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : canary
Spanish:
canario,
German:
der Kanarienvogel,
Japanese:
カナリア
canary
1584, of the wine; 1655, of the songbirds (short for Canary-bird, 1576), from Fr. canarie, from Sp. canario, from L. Insula Canaria "Canary Island," largest of the Fortunate Isles, lit. "island of dogs," (canis, gen. canarius) since large dogs lived there. Hence, the name of the little bird from the island. The name was extended to the whole island group (Canariæ Insulæ) by the time of Arnobius (c.300).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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canary
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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