coot
/ku:t/
Definition
Noun: 1. A type of waterbird: A dark-colored, slow-flying bird that lives on or near water, somewhat resembling a duck but with a distinctive white bill and forehead shield. 2. A foolish or eccentric person (informal, chiefly US): Used as a mild, often humorous term for an old man, especially one perceived as strange or silly.
Usage and Examples
- Noun (Bird):
- We saw a coot swimming among the reeds at the edge of the lake.
- The coot is easily identified by its white bill and frontal shield.
- Noun (Person - informal):
- My grandfather is a lovely old coot who tells the best stories.
- Don't listen to him; he's just a crazy old coot.
Advanced Usage and Idioms
- "(as) bald as a coot": Completely bald. This idiom comes from the bird's white frontal shield, which can make its head appear bald from a distance.
- He's been as bald as a coot since he was thirty.
Variants and Related Words
- American Coot (): The specific species common in North America.
- Eurasian Coot (): The species common in Europe and Asia.
Synonyms
- (For the bird): Waterbird, rail (as it belongs to the rail family, Rallidae).
- (For the person - informal): Codger, geezer, eccentric, oddball.
Different Meanings
The word coot has two distinct meanings: 1. Its primary, literal meaning refers to the specific aquatic bird. 2. Its secondary, informal meaning is a figurative and mildly derogatory term for a person, almost always an older man.
Noun
-
slate-black slow-flying birds somewhat resembling ducks
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