1 any of various small finches of the genus Serinus, esp. S. canaria, a songbird native to the Canary Islands, with mainly yellow plumage.
2 hist. a sweet wine from the Canary Islands.
Phrases and idioms:
canary-coloured coloured canary yellow. canary creeper a climbing plant, Tropaeolium peregrinum, with flowers of bright yellow deeply toothed petals which give the appearance of a small bird in flight. canary grass a Mediterranean plant Phalaris canariensis, grown as a crop plant for bird seed. canary yellow bright yellow.
Etymology: Canary Islands f. F Canarie f. Sp. & L Canaria f. canis dog, one of the islands being noted in Roman times for large dogs
Useful english dictionary. 2012.