drake

n. countable

C2 Proficiency US //ˈdɹeɪk// UK //dɹˈeɪk// drake

Archaic Literary

Definition

n. a male duck. You use this word to distinguish a male from a female duck.

n. a male duck of any species, especially a wild mallard. Often used in ornithological contexts to distinguish sex within a flock.

SIMPLE

The drake has much brighter feathers than the female duck.

CONTEXTUAL

A single drake stood out among the brown ducks due to its shiny green head and yellow beak.

COMPLEX

While the female mallard relies on mottled brown plumage for camouflage while nesting, the drake displays vibrant, iridescent colors to attract a mate during the breeding season.

Origin

* As an English surname, from both senses of the noun drake meaning "male duck" and "dragon." * As a German surname, from Low German drake (“dragon”), related to the above. * As a Dutch surname, Americanized/West Flemish variant of Draak, also related to the above.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Usage

The noun is countable and specifically refers to the male of the species.

Idioms1 entry

01
ducks and drakes
The squandering of resources, especially money; used in expressions such as "to make ducks and drakes of", "to play (at) ducks and drakes with".

Last updated May 2, 2026