canary

views updated

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.

More From encyclopedia.com