german duck
Preserved but no longer current.
Sense 1
Meaning · English
Haifa sheep's head boiled with onions.
Era: ca. 1811 (Georgian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Grose’s Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue (1811 edition, public domain; Project Gutenberg #5402, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Sense 2
Meaning · English
A sheep’s-head stewed with onions; a favourite dish among the German sugar-bakers in the East-end of London.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “german duck” mean?
Haifa sheep's head boiled with onions.
Is “german duck” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.