Definition of 'canard'

Word Frequency

canard

(kænɑːʳd , US kənɑːrd )

Word forms: plural canards

countable noun

A canard is an idea or a piece of information that is false, especially one that is spread deliberately in order to harm someone or their work.

The charge that Harding was a political stooge may be a canard.

Word Frequency

canard in British

(kæˈnɑːd , French kanar)

noun

a false report; rumour or hoax

an aircraft in which the tailplane is mounted in front of the wing

Word origin of 'canard'

C19: from French: a duck, hoax, from Old French caner to quack, of imitative origin

Word Frequency

canard in American

(kəˈnɑrd ; kənärdˈ)

noun

a false, esp. malicious, report that has been fabricated with the intention of doing harm

an airplane whose horizontal stabilizer is located forward of the wing or wings

the horizontal control and stabilizing surfaces in such an aircraft

Word origin of 'canard'

Fr, a duck, hoax; prob. < can, echoic for duck's quack + -ard, -ard; short for (vendre) un canard (à moitié), lit., (to half-sell) a duck, i.e., to cheat

Example sentences containing 'canard'

These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content. Read more…

A particularly delicious terrine de foie de canard frais had barely been touched. Armstrong, Campbell MAMBO (1991)

Word Lists

Types of Aircraft

Trends of 'canard'

Used Rarely. canard is in the lower 50% of commonly used words in the Collins dictionary

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Nearby words of 'canard'

Source

Definition of canard from the Collins English Dictionary

Shall and will

The normal way to express simple future time in English is using the modal verb will followed by the base form of a main verb. The modal verb shall is not used very much in modern English, except in...