coot

[ koot ]

noun
  1. any aquatic bird of the genus Fulica, as F. americana, of North America, and F. atra, of the Old World, characterized by lobate toes and short wings and tail.

  2. any of various other swimming or diving birds, especially the scoters.

  1. Informal. a foolish or crotchety person, especially one who is old.

Origin of coot

1
1250–1300; Middle English cote; cognate with Dutch koet

Words Nearby coot

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How to use coot in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for coot

coot

/ (kuːt) /


noun
  1. any aquatic bird of the genus Fulica, esp F. atra of Europe and Asia, having lobed toes, dark plumage, and a white bill with a frontal shield: family Rallidae (rails, crakes, etc)

  2. a foolish person, esp an old man (often in the phrase old coot)

Origin of coot

1
C14: probably from Low German; compare Dutch koet

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