canary seed

American  

noun

1. birdseed.

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canary seed British  

noun

1. another name for birdseed

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Etymology

Origin of canary seed

First recorded in 1590–1600

Example Sentences

He went shopping for canary seed and Polly, loose in the pet shop, settled on his shoulder and said, 'Pretty boy, I love you so.'

From Time Magazine Archive

A thick layer of cocoa fibre was spread over the bottom of the case, dry moss and hay provided, wheat-ears, oats, and canary seed, and a small cup of water.

From Wild Nature Won By Kindness by Brightwen, Elizabeth

Besides this, give them a little scalded rapeseed, and a little rape and canary seed by itself.

From The Cook and Housekeeper's Complete and Universal Dictionary; Including a System of Modern Cookery, in all Its Various Branches, Adapted to the Use of Private Families by Eaton, Mary, fl. 1823-1849

Wheat and maize are exported to the Aegean islands and to Turkish ports on the mainland; barley, oats and linseed to Great Britain; canary seed chiefly to Australia; beans to France and Spain.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 11, Slice 4 "G" to "Gaskell, Elizabeth" by Various

In captivity they take well to canary seed, and what is remarkable, never pick food with their feet, as do other species of parrots, but always use their beaks.

From Birds, Illustrated by Color Photography, Vol. 1, No. 1 January, 1897 by Various