Canary

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /kəˈnɛəɹi/

Definitions

1. A small yellow songbird often kept as a pet, known for its melodic chirping and historically used in coal mines to detect dangerous gases
2. A small and colorful bird renowned for its beautiful singing voice, which has also been historically used to indicate the presence of hazardous gases in mining environments
3. A small, brightly colored songbird valued for its pleasant singing, which has also been used in mining to signal toxic gas levels

Etymology: The bird is named after islands, and the islands are named after dogs. The Romans knew the Atlantic archipelago off northwest Africa as the Canariae insulae, the "Islands of the Dogs," because the largest island, Insula Canaria, was home to large, impressive dogs. The Latin adjective "canarius," meaning "canine," comes from "canis," the word for dog. The birds themselves come from these islands. Spanish speakers called the territory Islas Canarias and its inhabitants or their creatures "canario," and the small wild finches native to the islands were taken back to Europe. French borrowed the Spanish word as "canarie," and English followed, so a bird from a dog-named island now carries a name that has nothing to do with dogs in everyday speech. The name spread quickly through trade, and the birds became prized for their song. Their later role as warning signals in mines is a separate use that grew on top of the original name rather than changing it.

Synonyms: songbird, finch