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cuckoo

cuckoo definition

cuckoo (ko̵̅o̅′ko̵̅o̅′; also ko̵ok′o̵̅o̅)

noun

any of a family (Cuculidae, order Cuculiformes) of birds with a long, slender body, grayish-brown on top and white below: many, including the European species (Cuculus canorus), lay eggs in the nests of other birds, but the American species hatch and rear their own young
the call of a cuckoo, which sounds somewhat like its name
an imitation of this call
Slang a crazy or foolish person

Etymology: ME < OFr coucou, cucu, echoic of the bird's cry

intransitive verb

to utter or imitate the call of a cuckoo

transitive verb

to repeat continually, as the cuckoo does its call

adjective

Slang crazy; foolish; silly