canary

American  

[kuh-nair-ee] / kəˈnɛər i /

noun

plural

canaries

1. any of several Old World finches of the genus Serinus, especially S. canaria common canary, native to the Canary Islands and often kept as a pet, in the wild being greenish with brown streaks above and yellow below and in domesticated varieties usually bright yellow or pale yellow.

2. Also called canary yellow.  a light, clear yellow color.

   They sell a shimmer eyeshadow in canary that would look nice with your coloring.

3. Slang. informer.

4. Slang. a female singer, especially with a dance band.

5. a sweet white wine of the Canary Islands, resembling sherry.

6. Also called canary diamond.  a yellow diamond.

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adjective

1. having a light, clear yellow color.

   That canary sweater would pair well with your golden skirt.

idioms

1. the cat that ate / swallowed / got the canary. cat.

2. canary in the coal mine, someone or something that serves as an early warning sign of danger or trouble to come.

   These fish are the canaries in the coal mine, so when they die off in unusually high numbers, that's an indicator of the river's health.

canary British  

/ kəˈnɛərɪ /

noun

1. a small finch, Serinus canaria, of the Canary Islands and Azores: a popular cagebird noted for its singing. Wild canaries are streaked yellow and brown, but most domestic breeds are pure yellow

2. See canary yellow

3. history a convict

4. archaic a sweet wine from the Canary Islands similar to Madeira

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canary More Idioms  

1. see look like the cat that ate the canary.

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Etymology

Origin of canary

First recorded in 1585–95; from Spanish (Isla) Canaria, from Latin Canāria (insula) “Dog (Island),” from can(is) “dog” ( hound ) + -āria, feminine of -ārius -ary

Explanation

A canary is a small songbird, a finch known for its bright yellow feathers and beautiful singing. The word canary may also refer to a police informant, a singer, or a specific shade of yellow. The canary is named after the Canary Islands, the native lands of this cheerful bird. Wild canaries vary in color, including mixtures of brown, red, black, white, and yellow. Domesticated canaries, commonly kept as pets, are usually of the yellow variety — hence the name of the color called canary. Because canaries are known for singing, people sometimes call a female singer a canary, or they may use the term to refer to a person who helps police by "singing" or snitching on others.

Example Sentences

The small-cap benchmark has been a canary in a coal mine ahead of U.S. recessions, but one also prone to dying of natural causes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

At that time he warned that he could see a plausible scenario where the S&P 500 lost ground for the year, and that speculative stocks could be the canary in the coal mine.

From Barron's • Feb. 24, 2026

This is a fraction of Britain’s 2.6 million total millionaires, but when the “smart money” is going that’s a canary in a coal mine.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 17, 2026

"There is a canary in the coal mine here," he said.

From BBC • Jan. 30, 2026

And Tristran Thorn in crimson and canary was not the same man that Tristran Thorn in his overcoat and Sunday suit had been.

From "Stardust" by Neil Gaiman

Related Words

• belt out
• chant
• croon
• hum
• intone
• serenade
• shout
• wait
• warble
• whistle