Word
canary
Phoneticsca·nary
US/kəˈnɛɹi/
UK/kənˈeəɹi/
Definitions
01the bird
A2 · Elementary Countable noun
n. a small, usually yellow bird that is known for its singing.
n. a small finch of the genus Serinus, native to the Canary Islands and widely kept as a pet for its song.
“The canary sang loudly in its cage by the window every morning.”
“Domesticated canaries have been bred for centuries, resulting in a wide variety of colors and distinct singing styles preferred by enthusiasts.”
02an informer
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Law Slang · Informal
n. a person who tells the police or authorities about a crime or secret.
n. an informer or snitch who provides information to authorities, typically about illegal activities.
“The gang was worried that one of their members might turn into a canary.”
“The prosecution's case relied heavily on a canary who had been part of the inner circle for over a decade.”
03early warning or test
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a person or thing used to test if something is dangerous before others try it.
n. a test subject or indicator used to detect danger or failure at an early stage, referencing the historical use of birds in coal mines.
“Small businesses are often the canary in the coal mine for a bad economy.”
“Environmental scientists view the decline of these specific amphibians as a canary in the coal mine for the health of the entire ecosystem.”
Synonyms
04software testing
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Computing Technical
n. a new version of software that is tested by a small group of people first.
n. a software deployment strategy where a change is rolled out to a small subset of users to verify stability before a full release.
“We are running a canary release to make sure the new feature doesn't crash.”
“The engineering team monitored the canary deployment for latency spikes before proceeding with the global rollout of the update.”
Synonyms
05the color
B1 · Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. a bright, light yellow color.
n. a light, slightly greenish-yellow color resembling the plumage of a canary.
“She wore a beautiful canary dress to the summer wedding.”
“The artist used a touch of canary yellow to highlight the sunlit portions of the meadow in the landscape painting.”
06yellow-colored
B1 · Intermediate
adj. having a bright yellow color.
adj. of a light, bright yellow color.
“The walls were painted a bright canary shade that made the room feel warm.”
“He drove a canary sports car that was impossible to miss in the heavy city traffic.”
Synonyms
07to inform
C2 · Proficiency Law Slang · Informal
v. to tell secrets or report someone to the authorities.
v. to act as an informer; to betray secrets regarding illegal activities to the police.
“He decided to canary on his partners to get a shorter prison sentence.”
“Under intense pressure from investigators, the suspect finally began to canary about the organization's offshore accounts.”
Real-World Examples
“The canary’s role in mines became so engrained in the English language that “a canary in the coalmine” is now a well-known phrase, used to refer to early indicators of potential hazards.” “Throughout much of the 20th century, chirping canaries were staples of the coal mining industry.” Etymology
From Latin Canāriae īnsulae ("Canary Islands"), the archipelago named for Īnsula Canāria ("Dog Island" or "Canine Island"), its largest island, where the Romans noted an abundance of dogs — canis, canārius. The name passed through Spanish canario and French canarie before entering English.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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