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canard

noun

/kəˈnɑːd/

IPA:

Dictionary definition of canard

A false or misleading statement or story that is spread deliberately to deceive or mislead people.
"He spread a canard about the company to hurt its reputation."

Detailed meaning of canard

It is often used to describe fabricated news or rumors that are spread with the intention of manipulating public opinion or causing harm. The term can also be used to describe an aerodynamic feature of an aircraft, a small wing located in front of the main wing, which improves the stability of the flight. An example of a sentence using the word canard would be "The newspaper was caught spreading canards about the candidate's personal life in an attempt to influence the election."

Example sentences containing canard

1. The story in the newspaper was nothing more than a canard.
2. She dismissed the canard about her personal life as rumor and gossip.
3. The canard about the politician's secret past was proven to be untrue.
4. He spread the canard that the new product was a scam.
5. Some believe this wild canard of anti-Semitism where a secret group of powerful Jews are running the country.
6. The canard that the celebrity was addicted to drugs was debunked by the star himself.

History and etymology of canard

The noun 'canard' has an intriguing etymology that ties back to the French language. In French, 'canard' simply means 'duck.' The origin of the term in its figurative sense, referring to a false or misleading statement or story, can be traced to the 19th century. It is believed to have arisen from the world of journalism in France during that era. According to legend, a Parisian journalist named Victor Tardieu included a fake article about ducks in a newspaper he published, intended as a prank to test the gullibility of readers. The term 'canard' then became synonymous with false or fabricated stories. Over time, it made its way into the English language to describe any piece of misinformation or deceptive tale deliberately spread to mislead people. The etymology of 'canard' is a delightful example of how a word's meaning can evolve and extend beyond its original literal sense, in this case, from ducks to deceitful information.

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Further usage examples of canard

1. She was accused of spreading a canard about her colleagues to advance her own career.
2. The canard that the company was going bankrupt was just a rumor.
3. He spread the canard that the new technology was impossible to use.
4. The canard that the teacher was unfair was disproven by the students' high test scores.
5. She was fed up of dealing with canard circulating about her in the office.
6. The canard that the product was dangerous was completely false.
7. The rumor about her was just a canard to damage her reputation.
8. Many considered his statement a canard, designed to mislead the public.
9. Politicians often have to deal with canards during election seasons.
10. That old canard about the moon landing being fake still lingers.
11. I realized the story was a canard when the facts didn't line up.
12. Spreading a canard can have serious consequences in today's information age.
13. She was quick to debunk the canard about her business dealings.
14. Always fact-check to avoid falling for a canard.
15. He regretted believing the canard without verifying it first.
16. Old legends sometimes contain a canard or two, wrapped in myth.
17. It's disheartening to see a well-crafted canard overshadow the truth.
18. Journalists have an ethical responsibility to avoid promoting canards.
19. Some canards persist for generations, becoming part of cultural folklore.
20. A canard might seem harmless, but it can alter public perception greatly.
21. When the truth emerged, the canard was exposed and the liar shamed.