Muscovy duck

noun

A large duck (Cairina moschata) which is native to Mexico, Central and South America.

Similar
Barbary duckMuscovymusk duckCairina moschata
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Meanings

nounMuscovy duck (plural Muscovy ducks)

plural Muscovy ducks

  1. A large duck (Cairina moschata) which is native to Mexico, Central and South America.

    Other species not protected include "exotic and feral species such as mute swans, graylag geese, muscovy ducks, European starlings, house (English) sparrows, and rock doves (pigeons)."

    2001 August 31, Cecil Adams, “The Straight Dope”, in Chicago Reader
    2 more examples

    Over the water swept the great harpy eagle--also a fisher like his white-headed cousin of the North; and now and then flocks of muscovy ducks made the air resound with their strong broad wings.

    1847, Mayne Reid, Popular Adventure Tales

    The pond was another favourite place to visit. Moorhens strutted from the neighbouring bushes, and a bevy of Muscovy ducks, a study in black, white and red, waddled from the farmyard hard by to enjoy a refreshing splash.

    1980, AA Book of British Villages, Drive Publications Ltd, page 217

    Synonyms: Barbary duck, Muscovy

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA large duck (Cairina moschata) which is native to Mexico, Central and South America.

Similar
Barbary duckMuscovy

More synonyms by meaning

nounlarge crested wild duck of Central America and South America; widely domesticated

Similar
musk duckCairina moschata
Broader
duck
Also see
musk duck

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

Perhaps from Muscovy Company, a trading company + duck; see more on Wikipedia.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan ànec mut
  • ànec mutduck
Chinese Mandarin 疣鼻棲鴨 /疣鼻栖鸭
  • 疣鼻棲鴨 /疣鼻栖鸭 (yóu bí qī yā)duck
Dutch muskuseend, barbarieeend
  • muskuseendduck
  • barbarieeendduck
Esperanto moska anaso
  • moska anasoduck
Estonian muskuspart
  • muskuspartduck
Finnish myskisorsa
  • myskisorsaduck
French canard musqué, canard de Barbarie
  • canard musquéduck
  • canard de Barbarieduck
German Moschusente
  • Moschusenteduck
Italian anatra muschiata, anatra muta
  • anatra muschiataduck
  • anatra mutaduck
Norwegian moskusand, knoppand
  • moskusandduck
  • knoppandduck
Polish piżmówka amerykańska, kaczka piżmowa
  • piżmówka amerykańskaduck
  • kaczka piżmowaduck
Portuguese pato-selvagem, pato-do-mato
  • pato-selvagemduck
  • pato-do-matoduck
  • pato-mudoduck
Russian му́скусная у́тка
  • му́скусная у́тка (múskusnaja útka)duck
Spanish pato criollo, pato mudo
  • pato criolloduck
  • pato mudoduck
  • pato almizcladoduck
Swedish myskand, myskanka
  • myskandduck
  • myskankaduck
Vietnamese ngan, vịt xiêm
  • nganduck
  • vịt xiêmduck
Zulu ikewu
  • ikewuduck
Cite this entry
APA

Muscovy duck. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Muscovy%20duck

MLA

“Muscovy duck.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Muscovy%20duck. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Muscovy duck,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Muscovy%20duck.

Source: Muscovy duck on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.