canary Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun someone acting as an informer or decoy for the police
    sneaker; stool pigeon; sneak; stoolpigeon; fink; stoolie; snitch; snitcher.
  2. noun a female singer
  3. noun a moderate yellow with a greenish tinge
    canary yellow.
  4. noun any of several small Old World finches
    canary bird.
  5. adjective satellite having the color of a canary; of a light to moderate yellow
    canary-yellow.

WordNet

Ca*na"ry adjective
Etymology
F. Canarie, L. Canaria insula one of the Canary islands, said to be so called from its large dogs, fr. canis dog.
Definitions
  1. Of or pertaining to the Canary Islands; as, canary wine; canary birds.
  2. Of a pale yellowish color; as, Canary stone.
Ca*na"ry noun
Wordforms
plural Canaries
Definitions
  1. Wine made in the Canary Islands; sack. "A cup of canary." Shak.
  2. A canary bird.
  3. A pale yellow color, like that of a canary bird.
  4. A quick and lively dance. Obs.
    Make you dance canary With sprightly fire and motion. Shak.
Ca*na"ry intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To perform the canary dance; to move nimbly; to caper. Obs.
    But to jig of a tune at the tongue's end, canary to it with your feet. Shak.

Webster 1913