if it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck

English

Pronunciation

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Proverb

if it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck

1. A subject can be identified by observing its habitual characteristics.

Alternative forms

• if it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it's probably a duck

Synonyms

• when I see a bird that walks like a duck and swims like a duck and quacks like a duck, I call that bird a duck

Related terms

• duck test
• duck typing

 

Translations

Translations

• Breton: ma nij ul loen evel un houad, ma labenn evel un houad, ma neuñv evel un houad, neuze e tle bezañ un houad
• French: si ça ressemble à un canard, si ça nage comme un canard et si ça cancane comme un canard, c’est qu’il s’agit sans doute d’un canard (fr)
• German: wenn es aussieht wie eine Ente, schwimmt wie eine Ente und quakt wie eine Ente, dann ist es wahrscheinlich eine Ente
• Portuguese: se parece com um pato, nada como um pato e grasna como um pato, então provavelmente é um pato

See also

• typology