A recent discussion explored the pejorative agent suffix -ard and its presence in various negative terms such as drunkard, coward, and bastard. One intriguing word that was omitted from the conversation is the noun mallard, denoting a type of duck. Tracing its origins back, we find that it stems from the Old French term malle, meaning “male”, and -ard. Originally, this term did not pertain to a specific bird species but rather to male ducks in general, often in a derogatory context. Eventually, in the early 14th century, the name became associated with the particular duck species we know today, leading to the loss of its original definition. Malle can be traced back to Latin mas, signifying “male”, believed to have derived from the Proto-Indo-European reconstruction meryos, meaning “young man”.
