coot
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.
Origin of coot
1Words Nearby coot
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use coot in a sentence
The eagles, coots and some other birds lost their motor coordination, struggled to fly or even walk, and had seizures.
A toxin behind mysterious eagle die-offs may have finally been found | Susan Milius | March 26, 2021 | Science NewsThe first guitar music he heard as a child came from a two-string acoustic that a family friend named coot used to play.
The soft “coot, coot” of a hen picking up grain on the old barn floor!
The Idyl of Twin Fires | Walter Prichard Eaton"coot" Brandon was one of "Jeb" Stuart's rangers, and came every day for corn for his horse.
He did not give the expected coot, but came through the forest glade silently and with a halting step.
Country Neighbors | Alice Brown
I have heard of the loons doing something like that, but I didn't suppose a coot had sense enough for that.
Jack the Young Canoeman | George Bird GrinnellThe coot is less often seen, but the heron will be often disturbed from its busy occupation on the shallows.
British Dictionary definitions for coot
/ (kuːt) /
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)
Origin of coot
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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