cooing

[ koo-ing ]

noun

1. an act or instance of uttering or imitating the soft murmuring sound characteristic of doves:

   Jim recognized the sound as the cooing of a pigeon, although some of us thought it was an owl.

2. the act of murmuring or talking fondly or admiringly:

   I’m no fan of fancy goodies—not for me the cooing over iced Halloween cupcakes topped with fondant pumpkins.

adjective

1. making the sound characteristic of doves:

   Since February, the lake has come alive again with a few pairs of mallards and a cooing eider duck.

2. murmuring or talking fondly or admiringly:

   Strolling on the boardwalk were cooing couples, briefcase-toting executives, and chattering children with their nannies.

Other Words From

• coo·ing·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of cooing¹

First recorded in 1660–70; coo ¹( def ) + -ing ¹( def ) for the noun senses; coo ¹( def ) + -ing ²( def ) for the adjective senses

Example Sentences

Then, incredibly, he cocked his head and started making cooing sounds at the baby.

From The Daily Beast

She was a cooing and cherubic mini-avatar called Anima, which players earned after reaching a certain level in the game Prius.

From The Daily Beast

Legendary Lovers” has her cooing at her man over sitar backing to “say my name like a scripture.

From The Daily Beast

There is Britney Spears in a neon-pink ball gown on a lily pad cooing for the camera.

From The Daily Beast

I grew up wanting the whole shebang: Prince Charming, white picket fence and our cooing angel-faced children.

From The Daily Beast

When we passed the birds were singing instead, sending down with the cooing pigeons a chorus from the trees.

From Project Gutenberg

Amidst the many murmurs from forest and village, from the sea and the air, a sound of cooing could be distinguished.

From Project Gutenberg

The baby ran its arms more closely around Raegen's neck and did not speak, unless its cooing in Raegen's ear was an answer.

From Project Gutenberg

The doves were cooing and fluttering in the cornices and the cockatoo was preening his lemon colored topknot.

From Project Gutenberg

Sometimes we hear the pigeons running on the outsides of the shingles and cooing under the eaves.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• murmur