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noun Common

drake

drayk
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Drake (noun) means a male duck. Example: “A drake paddled across the pond, followed by three ducklings and their mother.”

noun
1
A male duck.
"A drake paddled across the pond, followed by three ducklings and their mother."
"The farmer kept a single drake with his flock of ducks."
"You can tell a drake from a hen duck by its brighter, glossier feathers."
2
A dragon, especially a smaller or lesser one in folklore and fantasy fiction.
"The game's hero had to defeat a fierce drake lurking in the mountains."
"In the fantasy novel, a tame drake curled up beside the wizard's fire."
"In the story, a young drake guarded the entrance to the cave."
3
A type of small cannon, or an old beaked warship such as a Viking longship.
"The museum displays a small bronze drake that once guarded a castle wall."
"Sailors in the old saga rowed their drake across the grey, choppy sea."
"A carved dragon's head decorated the prow of the drake as it left the harbour."

How to use drake

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishMost often just means a male duck; in fantasy writing it can also mean a (usually smaller) dragon.

Common mistake

Drake is also a very common surname and stage name (e.g. the rapper Drake) — context makes clear which sense is meant.

Common pairings
a mallard drake duck and drake
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Word forms

Plural
drakes
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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

A _____ paddled across the pond, followed by three ducklings and their mother.

Etymology

From Old English draca, a shortened form of andraca ("duck-king"), going back to a Proto-Germanic word meaning "duck leader." The dragon sense is a separate, later borrowing from the same root that gave English "dragon."

Origin: Old English

Synonyms

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dragon wyrm wyvern

Related words

dragon Satan wyrm wyvern firedrake virago termagant shrew

Rhymes for drake

ake take make rake wake cake lake sake bake fake jake Dake
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Frequently asked questions

What does “drake” mean?
The word “drake” means a male duck. In plain terms, most often just means a male duck; in fantasy writing it can also mean a (usually smaller) dragon.
How do you pronounce “drake”?
“Drake” is pronounced drayk (/dɹeɪk/ in IPA).
How do you use “drake” in a sentence?
Here is “drake” used in a sentence: “The farmer kept a single drake with his flock of ducks.”
What part of speech is “drake”?
“Drake” is a noun.
Where does the word “drake” come from?
The word “drake” comes from Old English.
Is “drake” a common word?
“Drake” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “drake” have?
“Drake” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a male duck.
What is the difference between a drake and a duck?
A drake is specifically a male duck, whereas "duck" is the general term for the bird and is also often used for a female. So every drake is a duck, but not every duck is a drake.
What do you call a female duck if the male is a drake?
A female duck is usually just called a duck, or sometimes a hen. Unlike the male, which has the distinct name drake, the female has no separate common word in everyday English.
Does drake always refer to a male duck?
No. Besides meaning a male duck, drake can refer to a dragon, especially a smaller or lesser one in folklore and fantasy fiction, and historically to a type of small cannon or an old beaked warship such as a Viking longship.

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dragon Satan wyrm wyvern firedrake virago termagant shrew