coo

¹ American  

[koo] / ku /

verb (used without object)

cooed, cooing

1. to utter or imitate the soft, murmuring sound characteristic of doves.

2. to murmur or talk fondly or amorously.

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verb (used with object)

cooed, cooing

1. to utter by cooing.

noun

1. a cooing sound.

coo ² American  

[koo] / ku /

interjection

British Slang.

1. (used to express surprise or amazement.)

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Coo ³ American  

[kaw-aw] / ˈkɔ ɔ /

noun

1. Italian name of Kos.

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COO ⁴ American  

1. chief operating officer.

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coo ¹ British  

/ kuː /

verb

1. (intr) (of doves, pigeons, etc) to make a characteristic soft throaty call

2. (tr) to speak in a soft murmur

3. (intr) to murmur lovingly (esp in the phrase bill and coo )

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noun

1. the sound of cooing

interjection

1. slang an exclamation of surprise, awe, etc

CoO ² British  

abbreviation

1. cost of ownership

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COO ³ British  

abbreviation

1. chief operating officer

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Other Word Forms

• cooer noun
• cooingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of coo¹

First recorded in 1660–70; imitative

Origin of coo²

First recorded in 1910–15; origin uncertain

Example Sentences

“Nah,” I thought, as I watched the cooing baby in my arms.

From Salon

Usually it plays out as a cute moment, the assembled gaggle cooing awwww at the exchange as the queried party answers far more effusively than they do for their daily adult nemeses.

From The Wall Street Journal

The birds perched in the trees were not vultures but gentle cooing doves, with a few comically roosting chickens mixed among them.

From Literature

“Like a big sister who everyone ignores when cooing over the new baby,” she scolded herself sternly.

From Literature

Lady Constance cooed fondly and falsely over the children while her mother-in-law was watching, but that too changed the moment the lady was gone.

From Literature

Related Words

• murmur