coucal

[ koo-kuhl ]

/ ˈku kəl /

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noun

any of several Old World cuckoos of the genus Centropus, having harsh-textured plumage and a long, daggerlike hind claw.

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Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

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In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

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Origin of coucal

1805–15; <French, said to be equivalent to couc(ou) cuckoo + al(ouette) lark

Words nearby coucal

Coty, cotyledon, cotyloid, cotylosaur, cotype, coucal, couch, couchant, couché, coucher, couchette

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use coucal in a sentence

The nest of the crow-pheasant or coucal is a massive structure, globular in shape, with the entrance at one side.
A Bird Calendar for Northern India|Douglas Dewar
But for the fact that the brown wings do not match well with the rest of the plumage, I should call the coucal a handsome bird.
Jungle Folk|Douglas Dewar
I have never actually observed it pick anything off a leaf, for the coucal is of a retiring disposition.
Jungle Folk|Douglas Dewar
Unfortunately for the peace of mankind the coucal is not the only cuckoo that lifts up its voice in the night.
Glimpses of Indian Birds|Douglas Dewar

The coucal or crow-pheasant, for example, is divided up into three local races.
Jungle Folk|Douglas Dewar

British Dictionary definitions for coucal

coucal

/ (ˈkuːkæl, -kəl) /

noun

any ground-living bird of the genus Centropus, of Africa, S Asia, and Australia, having long strong legs: family Cuculidae (cuckoos)

Word Origin for coucal

C19: from French, perhaps from couc (ou) cuckoo + al (ouette) lark

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012