canary

views updated May 17 2018

ca·nar·y / kəˈnerē/ • n. (pl. -ies) 1. a mainly African finch (genus Serinus) with a melodious song, typically having yellowish-green plumage. ∎ slang an informer. 2. (also canary yellow) a bright yellow color resembling the plumage of a canary. 3. (also canary wine) hist. a sweet wine from the Canary Islands, similar to Madeira.

canary

views updated May 14 2018

canary name of a dance, a wine, and a singing-bird from the Canary Islands. XVI. — F. canarie — Sp. canaria, in L. Canāria insula ‘Isle of Dogs’, so named from its large dogs (L. canārius pert. to dogs, f. canis dog, HOUND). As the name of the bird modelled on F. canari, †-ie — Sp. canario.

canary

views updated May 18 2018

canary Popular cage-bird that lives wild in the Azores, Canary and Madeira islands. These yellowish finches feed on fruit, seeds and insects, and lay spotted greenish-blue eggs. The pure yellow varieties have been domesticated since the 16th century, although they are difficult to breed in captivity. Family Fringillidae; species Serinus canarius.

canary

views updated May 17 2018

canary (Serinus canaria) See FRINGILLIDAE.

canary

views updated May 29 2018

canary in the 19th century, domestic canaries were often kept in coal mines; by succumbing to any build up of gas, they gave warning to miners of potential danger.