Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

canary in a coal mine

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.39 in modern English

Syllables: ca-nary in a -coal mine
IPA

26

Scrabble Score

17

Letters

3

Syllables

10

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

Something whose sensitivity to adverse conditions makes it a useful early indicator of such conditions; something which warns of the coming of a greater danger or trouble by a deterioration in its health or welfare.

Example Sentences

""A mussel is a canary in a coal mine," Clemens explained. "When the freshwater mussels are healthy, it indicates good water quality.""
"On the job, she was like a canary in a coal mine: If the subtle energy wasn't in balance, she was the first to notice."
"Thanks to rampant real estate development that revitalized the city starting in the '90s, Dublin has been something of a canary in a coal mine with regard to the global financial meltdown — the credit crunch hit here early and hard."

Etymology

An allusion to caged canaries that miners would carry down into the mine tunnels with them. If dangerous gases, such as carbon monoxide collected in the mine, the gases would kill the canary before killing the miners, thus providing a warning to exit the tunnels immediately.

Inflected Forms

canaries in a coal mine (plural) canaries in coal mines (plural) canary in a coalmine (alternative) canary in the coal mine (alternative) canary in the coalmine (alternative)

Phrases

climate canary warrant canary

Frequently Paired Words

climate canary bioindicator warrant canary

Synonyms

miner's canary

Questions

What does canary in a coal mine mean?: Something whose sensitivity to adverse conditions makes it a useful early indicator of such conditions; something which warns of the coming of a greater danger or trouble by a deterioration in its health or welfare.
Where does canary in a coal mine come from?: An allusion to caged canaries that miners would carry down into the mine tunnels with them. If dangerous gases, such as carbon monoxide collected in the mine, the gases would kill the canary before killing the miners, thus providing a warning to exit the tunnels immediately.

How to pronounce canary in a coal mine

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