rubber duck
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
An inflatable boat.
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
Around midday on Saturday, Warrnambool's main beach was evacuated when a volunteer from Warrnambool Surf Life Saving Club was thrown into the ocean from an inflatable rescue boat (IRB), often referred to as a rubber duck.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “rubber duck” mean?
An inflatable boat.
Is “rubber duck” formal or informal?
rubber duck is generally slang.