hoopoe

/'hu:pu:/

Thân thiện

A hoopoe perches on a low branch, its distinctive crest fanned open.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A distinctive Old World bird characterized by a prominent crest of feathers on its head, a long, slender, downward-curving bill, and often a striking plumage pattern of black, white, and cinnamon or pinkish-brown.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • We were delighted to spot a hoopoe foraging for insects on the lawn.
  • The hoopoe's distinctive "hoo-poo-poo" call is a familiar sound in the Mediterranean countryside.
  • In many cultures, the hoopoe is featured in folklore and fables.

Advanced Usage

• "to be as proud as a hoopoe": An expression sometimes used to describe someone who is very proud or struts in a showy manner, alluding to the bird's prominent crest and dignified bearing.
  • After his promotion, he walked around the office as proud as a hoopoe.

Variants and Related Words

• Hoopoes (n): The standard plural form of 'hoopoe'.
• Upupa epops (n): The scientific name for the Eurasian hoopoe, the most widespread species.

Synonyms

• Upupa (n): The genus name, sometimes used informally to refer to these birds.

Related Phrases

• Hoopoe's crest: Refers specifically to the fan-like crown of feathers the bird can raise and lower.
  • The hoopoe raised its crest in alarm when it saw the cat.

Related Idioms

• None commonly associated directly with the word 'hoopoe'. The bird itself is more frequently a subject in stories (e.g., in by Attar) than in everyday idiomatic English.

Học thuật

Noun

1. any of several crested Old World birds with a slender downward-curved bill

Từ đồng nghĩa

• hoopoo