/ Dictionary / Index C canvasback: Meaning and Definition of Find definitions for: can•vas•back Pronunciation: (kan'vus-bak"), [key] — pl. -backs, -back. a North American wild duck, Aythya valisineria, the male of which has a whitish back and a reddish-brown head and neck. Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease. See also: canvasback (Thesaurus) canvas canvass Related Content Daily Word Quiz: tenacious Analogy of the Day: Today’s Analogy Spelling Bee: Today’s Spelling Bee Frequently Misspelled Words Frequently Mispronounced Words Easily Confused Words Writing & Language