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

The group focuses on lack of mallards being killed in Louisiana while ignoring the large number of other duck species that are being killed in that state. —Bryan Hendricks, Arkansas Online, 25 Jan. 2026

If flooding corn was theoretically outlawed, Cohen hypothesizes that mallards would probably move more frequently and fly farther distances locally. —Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 14 Jan. 2026

Meat: possum, tongue and mallard During the WWI era, some meats were more practical, regional and even celebratory. —Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 20 Dec. 2025

Americans, often from San Diego, began to arrive, often to shoot teals and shovelers, gadwalls and mallards during hunting season. —Brandon Loomis, AZCentral.com, 15 Dec. 2025

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