coot
Americannoun
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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.
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any of various other swimming or diving birds, especially the scoters.
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Informal. a foolish or crotchety person, especially one who is old.
noun
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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)
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a foolish person, esp an old man (often in the phrase old coot )
Etymology
Origin of coot
1250–1300; Middle English cote; cognate with Dutch koet
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
While Coot slept, Buddy picked up that guitar and strummed it; it seemed like something magical, something he had to master.
From The New Yorker • Mar. 4, 2019
Coot Farley, the Crimson Tide’s assistant recruiting coordinator for deep-snappers, declined comment.
From Seattle Times • Apr. 21, 2017
After refinement, the fit and the geometry of the protein structure was checked using Coot tools.
From Nature • Apr. 18, 2016
Mr. Carr is widely admired for his reporting, his intelligence and his Tough Old Coot routine.
From New York Times • Jun. 16, 2011
Phalacrocorax, the modern systematic name of the genus Cormorant, is given by Willughby as a synonym of the Coot, and with much propriety, for translated into English it means 'Bald Crow'.
From British Birds in their Haunts by Johns, Rev. C. A.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
