mallard

[ mal-erd ]

noun

, plural mal·lards, (especially collectively) mal·lard.

1. a common, almost cosmopolitan, wild duck, Anas platyrhynchos, from which the domestic ducks are descended.

mallard

/ ˈmælɑːd /

noun

1. a duck, Anas platyrhynchos, common over most of the N hemisphere, the male of which has a dark green head and reddish-brown breast: the ancestor of all domestic breeds of duck

Word History and Origins

Origin of mallard¹

1275–1325; Middle English < Middle French, Old French mallart mallard drake, drake; male, -ard

Word History and Origins

Origin of mallard¹

C14: from Old French mallart, perhaps from maslart (unattested); see male , -ard

Example Sentences

It’s to the Moscow mallard and her ducklings I head to find out what Russians think of America and of the US election.

From BBC

Traffic came to a halt near the South Everett Park & Ride due to a mother mallard and eight ducklings crossing the southbound lanes.

From Seattle Times

Third place went to Illumination and Universal’s “Migration,” a PG-rated animated adventure about a family of mallards traveling South.

From Seattle Times

Third place went to Illumination and Universal’s “Migration,” a PG-rated animated adventure about a family of mallards traveling South.

From Washington Times

He paints a mallard for a competition to get on the 20-cent stamp.

From New York Times