cuckoo
Noun · VerbOpen English WordNet
Noun (2)
- a man who is a stupid incompetent foolSynonyms: fatheadgoofgoofballbozojackassgoosetwatzanyType of fool, sap
- any of numerous European and North American birds having pointed wings and a long tailType of cuculiform birdKinds coucal, black-billed cuckoo, ani, roadrunner, European cuckooMember of Cuculidae, family Cuculidae
What does it mean? Question 1 of today’s quiz
Webster's Dictionary (1913)
Origin: OE. coccou, cukkow, F. coucou, prob. of imitative origin; cf. L. cuculus, Gr. …, Skr. k…ki…a, G. kuckuk, D. koekoek.
Zoology A bird belonging to Cuculus, Coccyzus, and several allied genera, of many species.
☞ The European cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) builds no nest of its own, but lays its eggs in the nests of other birds, to be hatched by them. The American yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus Americanus) and the black-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus erythrophthalmus) build their own nests.
Cuckoo clock, a clock so constructed that at the time for striking it gives forth sounds resembling the cry of the cuckoo. — Cuckoo dove Zoology, a long-tailed pigeon of the genus Macropygia. Many species inhabit the East Indies. — Cuckoo fish Zoology, the European red gurnard (Trigla cuculus). The name probably alludes to the sound that it utters. — Cuckoo falcon Zoology, any falcon of the genus Baza. The genus inhabits Africa and the East Indies. — Cuckoo maid Zoology, the wryneck; — called also cuckoo mate. — Cuckoo ray Zoology, a British ray (Raia miraletus). — Cuckoo spit, or Cuckoo spittle. (a) A frothy secretion found upon plants, exuded by the larvae of certain insects, for concealment; — called also toad spittle and frog spit. (b) Zoology A small hemipterous insect, the larva of which, living on grass and the leaves of plants, exudes this secretion. The insects belong to Aphrophora, Helochara, and allied genera. — Ground cuckoo, the chaparral cock.
Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54