cockscomb
/'kɔkskoum/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- The fleshy red crest on the head of a domestic fowl or other gallinaceous bird: A distinctive, often brightly colored, comb-like growth on the top of a rooster's head.
- A cap worn by court jesters; adorned with a strip of red: A traditional fool's cap, often resembling a rooster's comb in shape and color.
- A conceited dandy who is overly impressed by his own accomplishments: (Archaic) A person, especially a man, who is vain and ostentatious.
- Garden annual with featherlike spikes of red or yellow flowers: A common name for the ornamental plant Celosia argentea var. cristata, known for its unique, crested flower heads.
Usage Examples
- Noun (Bird Anatomy):
- The rooster's bright red cockscomb stood tall.
- The breed is easily identified by its large, serrated cockscomb.
- Noun (Jester's Cap):
- The jester's costume was completed with a bell-tipped cockscomb.
- Noun (Person - Archaic):
- The 18th-century dandy was nothing but a preening cockscomb.
- Noun (Plant):
- She planted vibrant red cockscombs in the garden border.
Advanced Usage
- "Coxcomb": This is a common historical variant spelling, especially when referring to the vain person or the jester's cap. The meanings are identical to "cockscomb".
- He was derided as a foolish coxcomb in the satirical play.
Variants and Related Words
- Coxcomb: A variant spelling of "cockscomb".
- Celosia: The botanical genus name for the plant commonly called cockscomb.
- Comb: The general term for the fleshy crest on a bird's head; "cockscomb" is a specific type.
Synonyms
- For the bird's crest: Comb, caruncle.
- For the vain person: Dandy, fop, popinjay, peacock.
- For the plant: Woolflower, Celosia.
Related Idioms and Phrases
- None directly using "cockscomb": The term itself is quite specific. However, the archaic use for a vain person relates to idioms about vanity, such as "proud as a peacock".
Noun
- the fleshy red crest on the head of the domestic fowl and other gallinaceous birds
- a cap worn by court jesters; adorned with a strip of red
- a conceited dandy who is overly impressed by his own accomplishments
- garden annual with featherlike spikes of red or yellow flowers