Etymologically
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canard

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ka.naʁ/[1]

Forms

canard m (plural canards, feminine cane)[1] Old French quanart (13th century); canard from 1487.[2][3][4]

Etymology

It is probably formed from the same imitative root as Old French caner (“to cackle”) (1204), with the suffix -art of malart, the oldest name of the drake.[2][5][4][6][7] Bloch and Wartburg derive it from caner itself, and take the suffix from maslart, a derivative of masle (“male”).[3] Deriving it from cane “female duck” is less likely on chronological grounds, since cane would itself be a cross between Old French ane (“duck”) and the root of caner.[2][5] Wiktionary also mentions a derivation from Old French cane “boat”, of Frankish origin.[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in 1199 as a man's nickname, Hugo Canart, probably given to a chatterer;[2][5] in the 13th century quanart names the bird.[2][4]

Semantic evolution

Rey suggests that canard replaced Old French ane “duck” because that word was too easily confused with âne “donkey”.[5] The bird gave many familiar phrases: mouillé comme un canard “soaked” (before 1696), froid de canard “bitter cold”, when wild ducks fly, and vilain petit canard after Andersen's tale.[2][5]

The sense “false news” (about 1750) comes from the 16th-century vendre or bailler un canard à moitié “to half-sell a duck”, that is, to cheat someone;[3][2][8] from it canard became a familiar word for a newspaper (1842).[2][9] A false, quacking note on a reed instrument is a canard from 1834, and a lump of sugar dipped in coffee or brandy from 1840.[2]

Timeline

  • 1199 – Canart as a man's nickname.[2][5]
  • 13th century – Quanart “duck”.[2]
  • 1487 – The spelling canard.[2][3]
  • 1584 – Bailler un canard à moitié “to cheat”.[2]
  • about 1750 – A false report spread by the press.[2][3]
  • 1834 – A false note on a reed instrument.[2]
  • 1842 – A newspaper.[2][9]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A duck, especially the male; a drake.[6][1]
  2. (familiar) A false or unfounded report; a hoax.[6][10]
  3. (familiar) A newspaper, especially a poor one.[6][1]
  4. (music) A false, squawking note.[2][1]
  5. A lump of sugar dipped in coffee or spirits.[9][1]
  6. (familiar) A term of endearment: mon petit canard.[9]

Word family

  • canarder
  • canardière
  • cane
  • caneton

Usage notes

Froid de canard is bitter cold, and canard boiteux “lame duck” was, according to Féraud, a calque of English.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
  3. ^ a b c d e Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  4. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  6. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  7. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 2, 164b
  8. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  9. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  10. ^ Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)