ca·nar·y / kəˈnerē/ • n. (pl. -ies) 1. a mainly African finch (genus Serinus) with a melodious song, typically having yellowish-green plumage. ∎ slang an informer. 2. (also canary yellow) a bright yellow color resembling the plumage of a canary. 3. (also canary wine) hist. a sweet wine from the Canary Islands, similar to Madeira.

canary name of a dance, a wine, and a singing-bird from the Canary Islands. XVI. — F. canarie — Sp. canaria, in L. Canāria insula ‘Isle of Dogs’, so named from its large dogs (L. canārius pert. to dogs, f. canis dog, HOUND). As the name of the bird modelled on F. canari, †-ie — Sp. canario.

canary Popular cage-bird that lives wild in the Azores, Canary and Madeira islands. These yellowish finches feed on fruit, seeds and insects, and lay spotted greenish-blue eggs. The pure yellow varieties have been domesticated since the 16th century, although they are difficult to breed in captivity. Family Fringillidae; species Serinus canarius.

canary (Serinus canaria) See FRINGILLIDAE.

canary in the 19th century, domestic canaries were often kept in coal mines; by succumbing to any build up of gas, they gave warning to miners of potential danger.