mallard

noun

mal·​lard ˈma-lərd How to pronounce mallard (audio)
plural mallard or mallards
: a common and widely distributed wild duck (Anas platyrhynchos) of the northern hemisphere the males of which have a green head and white-ringed neck and which is the source of the domestic ducks

Illustration of mallard

Illustration of mallard

Examples of mallard in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web There’s a reason that mallards are the most abundant duck in North America. Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 20 Dec. 2023 In this case, the collision was from a drake mallard duck (Anas platyrhynchos) lying dead on its belly in the sand. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 5 June 2023 The film follows a family of mallards whose trip south for the winter takes some unexpected detours. Brent Lang, Variety, 29 Dec. 2023 My favorite late-season call is a mallard drake call. T. Edward Nickens, Field & Stream, 27 Dec. 2023 The $70 million comedy, about a family of mallards who are heading south for the winter, has generated a soft $24 million to date. Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 27 Dec. 2023 The film, which was written by White Lotus creator Mike White, is a tale of how a family of mallards embarks on an inspired journey from New England to Jamaica. Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Dec. 2023 The comedic tale follows a family of mallards on a wrong-way trip, mixing life lessons with Renner’s delightfully wacky animal-centric comedy. Peter Debruge, Variety, 5 Dec. 2023 Passengers may spy mergansers and mallards, deer, and even black bears. Mark Orwoll, Travel + Leisure, 5 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mallard.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French mallart

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mallard was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near mallard

Cite this Entry

“Mallard.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mallard. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

mallard

noun
mal·​lard ˈmal-ərd How to pronounce mallard (audio)
plural mallard or mallards
: a common and widely distributed wild duck of the northern hemisphere the males of which have a green head and white ring around the neck and that is the source of the domestic ducks

More from Merriam-Webster on mallard

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