mallard
/'mæləd/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: 1. A common wild duck: A species of wild dabbling duck (Anas platyrhynchos) that is the ancestor of most domestic ducks. The male (drake) has a distinctive glossy green head and a white neck ring, while the female is mottled brown. 2. The meat of this duck: Used as food.
Usage and Examples
- As a common noun (species):
- We saw a pair of mallards on the pond.
- The mallard is one of the most recognizable waterfowl.
- Referring to the animal as a concept or type:
- The mallard has a wide natural distribution across the Northern Hemisphere.
- Referring to the meat (less common):
- The restaurant's special tonight is roast mallard.
Advanced Usage
- In ornithology and biology: The term is used precisely to denote the species and to discuss its behavior, migration, and role in ecosystems.
- The study focused on the mallard's hybridization with other duck species.
- In hunting contexts: Refers specifically to the game bird.
- Bag limits for mallard are strictly enforced this season.
Variants and Related Words
- Mallards (plural noun): The standard plural form.
- Flocks of mallards migrate south for the winter.
- Mallard duck: A common compound form used for clarity, though "mallard" alone is sufficient.
- The children fed the mallard ducks at the park.
Synonyms
- Wild duck: A general term that can include mallards.
- Greenhead: A colloquial name for the male mallard, referring to its green head.
- Dabbling duck: A descriptive term for its feeding behavior, which includes the mallard and related species.
Related Phrases and Idioms
(Note: "Mallard" is a specific zoological term and is not commonly used in idiomatic expressions or phrasal verbs.) - As common as a mallard: An informal simile highlighting the bird's abundance and familiarity in many regions. - In these wetlands, sightings of herons are as common as mallards.
Noun
- wild dabbling duck from which domestic ducks are descended; widely distributed