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coot
[ koot ]
/ kut /
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noun
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.
any of various other swimming or diving birds, especially the scoters.
Informal. a foolish or crotchety person, especially one who is old.
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Origin of coot
1250–1300; Middle English cote; cognate with Dutch koet
Words nearby coot
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use coot in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for coot
coot
/ (kuːt) /
noun
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)
a foolish person, esp an old man (often in the phrase old coot)
Word Origin for coot
C14: probably from Low German; compare Dutch koet
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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