Inflected forms: pl. ca·nar·ies 1. A small finch (Serinus canaria) native to the Canary Islands that is greenish to yellow and has long been bred as a cage bird. 2.Slanga. A woman singer. b. An informer; a stool pigeon. 3. A sweet white wine from the Canary Islands, similar to Madeira. 4. A light to moderate or vivid yellow.
ETYMOLOGY:
French canari, from Spanish canario, of the Canary Islands, from (Islas) Canarias, Canary (Islands), from Late Latin Canriae (nsulae), (islands) of dogs, from Latin canrius, pertaining to dogs, canine, from canis, dog. See kwon- in Appendix I.
k
-nâr
riae (
nsulae), (islands) of dogs, from Latin can
