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View synonyms for

cuckoo

[ koo-koo, kook-oo ]

noun

plural cuckoos.
  1. a common European bird, Cuculus canorus, of the family Cuculidae, noted for its characteristic call and its brood parasitism.
  2. any of several other birds of the family Cuculidae.
  3. the call of the cuckoo, or an imitation of it.
  4. Slang. a crazy, silly, or foolish person; simpleton.


verb (used without object)

cuckooed, cuckooing.
  1. to utter the call of the cuckoo or an imitation of it.

verb (used with object)

cuckooed, cuckooing.
  1. to repeat monotonously.

adjective

  1. Slang. crazy; silly; foolish.
  2. of, relating to, or like a cuckoo.

cuckoo

/ ˈʊː /

noun

  1. any bird of the family Cuculidae, having pointed wings, a long tail, and zygodactyl feet: order Cuculiformes. Many species, including the European cuckoo ( Cuculus canorus ), lay their eggs in the nests of other birds and have a two-note call
  2. informal.
    an insane or foolish person
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

  1. informal.
    insane or foolish
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

interjection

  1. an imitation or representation of the call of a cuckoo
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. tr to repeat over and over
  2. intr to make the sound imitated by the word cuckoo
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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yvlog History and Origins

Origin of cuckoo1

1200–50; Middle English cuc ( c ) u, cuccuk ( e ) (imitative); compare Latin ܳūܲ, French coucou, German Kuckuk, Dutch koekoek, Modern Greek û
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yvlog History and Origins

Origin of cuckoo1

C13: from Old French cucu, of imitative origin; related to German kuckuck, Latin ܳūܲ, Greek kokkux
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Idioms and Phrases

see cloud-cuckoo land .
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Child criminal exploitation and "cuckooing" are set to become specific criminal offences as part of new legislation being introduced to Parliament next week.

From

Keane also stressed that Maddison was a "talented player", but said those who thought his return would help Spurs break into the top six "were in cuckoo land".

From

And yet California has massive rates of poverty, cuckoo housing costs that are forcing people to flee, and a shameful number of homeless people, many suffering from addiction, mental illness or both.

From

More than that, though, he continued, music is Gretchen’s “philosophy” as she grieves her mother and her most reliable “weapon” against the cuckoo people, whose shrill call notably juxtaposes Gretchen’s low-toned theme.

From

She was a victim of cuckooing - the term used when someone's house is taken over for criminal activity, including dealing, storing or using drugs.

From

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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