Meaning & use
rubber ducky
Last updated
UK/ˌrʌbə ˈdʌki/
US/ˌrʌbər ˈdʌki/
Meaning
nouncountablechild languageinformal
A small yellow rubber or plastic toy duck, often used in the bath.
Grammar: Countable: you can say 'a rubber ducky', 'two rubber duckies'. The plural is 'rubber duckies'.
Patterns
- a rubber ducky
- rubber duckies
- play with a rubber ducky
The baby laughed when the rubber ducky squirted water.
She collects rubber duckies from different countries.
He gave his daughter a rubber ducky for her bath time.
Word forms
| plural | rubber duckies |
|---|
Common combinations
- rubber ducky bath toy
- The rubber ducky bath toy is a classic for toddlers.
- squeaky rubber ducky
- The squeaky rubber ducky kept the child entertained.
- rubber ducky race
- The charity organized a rubber ducky race on the river.
- afloat like a rubber ducky
- The boat bobbed on the water like a rubber ducky.
Synonyms and how they differ
- rubber duck
- The more standard term; 'rubber ducky' is a childish or affectionate variant.
- bath duck
- Less common; specifically a duck toy used in the bath.
Word family
Practice
What is a rubber ducky?
Choose one answer.
A rubber ducky is a toy duck, usually yellow, made of rubber or plastic and often used in the bath. It is not a real duck, food, or a cleaning tool.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “rubber ducky”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.
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