mallard

noun

mal·​lard ˈma-lərd 

plural mallard or mallards

: a common and widely distributed wild duck (Anas platyrhynchos) of the northern hemisphere the males of which have a green head and white-ringed neck and which is the source of the domestic ducks

Illustration of mallard

Examples of mallard in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Then, after banking as neatly as a flight of fighter planes, the flock of 20 mallards splashed down just out of range of our shotguns. — Anton Money, Outdoor Life, 4 June 2026

The rescuers are seeing a lot of emaciated geese, swans, ducks, including mallards, and seabirds. — Jack Perry, The Providence Journal, 12 Feb. 2026

Over time, the pond filled with bass and bluegill and became a magnet for wildlife — blue herons, cranes, geese, mallards, and the kind of nighttime soundtrack that makes the place feel far removed from suburbia. — David Caraccio may 23, Sacbee.com, 23 May 2026

Hunters can find whitetail deer, turkeys, feral pigs, mallards, wood ducks, gadwall, wigeon, teal, canvasback and other migratory bird species. — Nick Wooten, Dallas Morning News, 29 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French mallart

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

mallard

noun

mal·​lard ˈmal-ərd 

plural mallard or mallards

: a common and widely distributed wild duck of the northern hemisphere the males of which have a green head and white ring around the neck and that is the source of the domestic ducks