Definition

Noun: A specific type of seed, primarily from canary grass (Phalaris canariensis), cultivated and used as the principal food for caged birds, especially canaries and other small finches.

Usage and Examples

• Noun:
  • The pet store sells high-quality canary seed for finches.
  • A staple of its diet, the bird eagerly ate the canary seed.

Advanced Usage

• While primarily a bird feed, is sometimes referenced in historical or agricultural contexts concerning its cultivation.
• The term can be used metonymically to represent the care and maintenance of caged birds.
  • His mornings were spent cleaning cages and measuring out canary seed.

Variants and Related Words

• Canary grass (n): The plant () from which canary seed is harvested.
• Birdseed (n): A general mixture of seeds for feeding wild or caged birds, which may contain canary seed.
• Millet (n): Another common type of small seed often used in bird feed mixtures alongside canary seed.

Synonyms

• Bird feed (general)
• Finch seed (specific)

Notes on Meaning

This term refers specifically to the seeds of the canary grass plant. It is typically used in a singular form ("canary seed") to denote the substance as a whole, not individual seeds. It is a non-count noun when referring to it as food.

Noun

1. a mixture of seeds used to feed caged birds