duck test

noun

A form of abductive reasoning, application of intuition, or common sense regardless of technical parameters, to identify an ostensibly unknown subject by observing that subject's characteristics.

Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

nounduck test (plural duck tests)

plural duck tests

  1. epistemologyA form of abductive reasoning, application of intuition, or common sense regardless of technical parameters, to identify an ostensibly unknown subject by observing that subject's characteristics.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
elephant test

Origin

From the expression if it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Dutch eendentest
  • eendentesttest for application of common sense
French test du canard
  • test du canardtest for application of common sense
Polish test kaczki
  • test kaczkitest for application of common sense
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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