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Added 7 October 2026

duck

/dʌk/ verb

In Latin: anas Wiktionary

verb Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about duck at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

To quickly lower (the head or body), often in order to prevent it from being struck by something.
To lower (something) into water; to thrust or plunge under liquid and suddenly withdraw.
To go under the surface of water and immediately reappear; to plunge one's head into water or other liquid.

noun

A cave passage containing water with low, or no, airspace.

noun

Any of certain aquatic birds of the family Anatidae, having a flat bill and webbed feet, distinguished from swans and geese by generally being smaller and shorter-necked.
Specifically, an adult female duck; contrasted with drake and with duckling.
The flesh of a duck used as food.

noun

A tightly-woven cotton or linen fabric, often used as sailcloth.
Trousers made of such material.

Origin

From Middle English ducken, duken, douken (“to duck, plunge under water, submerge”), from Old English *dūcan (“to dip, dive, duck”), from Proto-West Germanic *dūkan, from Proto-Germanic *dūkaną (“to dip, dive, bend down, stoop, duck”). Related to Scots dulk (“to duck”), Middle Dutch ducken (“to duck”), Low German ducken (“to duck”), German ducken (“to duck”), Danish dukke, dykke (“to dive”). Related also to Scots dook, douk (“to bathe, drench, soak, baptise”), West Frisian dûke (“to plunge, dive”), Dutch duiken (“to dive, plunge, duck”), Low German duken (“to duck, dive, stoop”), German tauchen (“to dive, plunge, immerse, duck”), Swedish dyka (“to dive, submerge”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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