mandarin duck

noun

1. a crested Asian duck, Aix galericulata, having variegated purple, green, chestnut, and white plumage.

mandarin duck

noun

1. an Asian duck, Aix galericulata, the male of which has a brightly coloured and patterned plumage and crest

Word History and Origins

Origin of mandarin duck¹

First recorded in 1790–1800

Example Sentences

The shipment of animals from Moscow also included two yaks, five cockatoos and dozens of pheasants as well as mandarin ducks, Kozlov's office said.

From BBC

Rasseem added two green peacocks to his nation of birds, along with a mandarin duck.

From Literature

It is called “Fowl” — a play on the word “foul,” which was so often used to disparage the community — and has an image of a mandarin duck, which represents love and fidelity in China.

From Los Angeles Times

"The other day I was right outside the leisure centre when I shot a mandarin duck and there were lots of people around," he said.

From BBC

In 2018 a mandarin duck became a social media superstar as photos of his stunning multi-coloured feathers made every online influencer swoon.

From BBC