mallard

American  

[mal-erd] / ˈmæl ərd /

noun

mallards plural

1. a common, almost cosmopolitan, wild duck, Anas platyrhynchos, from which the domestic ducks are descended.

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mallard British  

/ ˈmælɑːd /

noun

1. a duck, Anas platyrhynchos, common over most of the N hemisphere, the male of which has a dark green head and reddish-brown breast: the ancestor of all domestic breeds of duck

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Etymology

Origin of mallard

1275–1325; Middle English < Middle French, Old French mallart mallard drake, drake; see male, -ard

Compare meaning

How does mallard compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Rouen vs. mallard

Example Sentences

The groom wore a bespoke mallard green suit and ornate bolo tie for the ceremony, per Vogue, while the bride rocked some 5-inch Louboutin heels under her Oscar de la Renta gown.

From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2026

It’s to the Moscow mallard and her ducklings I head to find out what Russians think of America and of the US election.

From BBC • Oct. 20, 2024

It is a frustration to some scientists looking to catalog biodiversity that mallard ducks, monarch butterflies, white-tailed deer and other common species are the most frequently posted to the site.

From New York Times • Dec. 9, 2022

A good example of this is the mallard, one of the most common ducks in the world.

From Washington Post • Nov. 14, 2022

She chased a night heron up the Schoharie River, lost him, pursued a mallard duck, and lost her.

From "Frightful's Mountain" by Jean Craighead George