peacock

¹

[pee-kok]

noun

plural

peacocks ,

plural

peacock .

1. the male of the peafowl distinguished by its long, erectile, greenish, iridescent tail coverts that are brilliantly marked with ocellated spots and that can be spread in a fan.

2. any peafowl.

3. a vain, self-conscious person.

4. Astronomy.,  Peacock, the constellation Pavo.

verb (used without object)

1. to make a vainglorious display; strut like a peacock.

Peacock

²

[pee-kok]

noun

1. Thomas Love, 1785–1866, English poet and novelist.

peacock

¹

/ ˈpiːˌkɒk /

noun

1. a male peafowl, having a crested head and a very large fanlike tail marked with blue and green eyelike spots

2. another name for peafowl

3. a vain strutting person

verb

1. to display (oneself) proudly

2. obsolete,  to acquire (the best pieces of land) in such a way that the surrounding land is useless to others

Peacock

²

/ ˈpiːˌkɒk /

noun

1. Thomas Love. 1785–1866, English novelist and poet, noted for his satirical romances, including Headlong Hall (1816) and Nightmare Abbey (1818)

Other Word Forms

• peacockery noun
• peacockism noun
• peacockish adjective
• peacocky adjective
• peacockishly adverb
• peacockishness noun
• peahen noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of peacock¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English pecok, pocok equivalent to pe- ( Old English pēa “peafowl,” from Latin pāvōn-, stem of pavō peacock ( def. ) ) + cok ( Old English coc cock ¹ )

Word History and Origins

Origin of peacock¹

C14 pecok, pe- from Old English pāwa (from Latin pāvō peacock) + _cock ¹

Idioms and Phrases

see proud as a peacock.

Example Sentences

"It may have been used for display, much like a peacock's feathers, possibly to attract mates or intimidate rivals."

From BBC

She is worried the peacock "won't survive in the winter as it is too open and we have foxes and it will be horrific".

From BBC

The Ryde Hotel staff are desperately missing their favorite occupants — the gorgeous peacocks known to fawn about on the orchard-lined banks of the Sacramento River and mischievously wander through the hotel’s banquet hall.

From Los Angeles Times

Altadenans are no strangers to animal sightings — there are peacocks and parrots aplenty around town — but news of a coyote and black bear palling around town together recently has locals talking.

From Los Angeles Times

Molting peacocks squawked in the distance and a Pacific breeze whispered through the eucalyptus as flamingo keeper Liz Gibbons tidied her station at the San Francisco Zoo.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bluster 
• gloat 
• prance 
• sashay 
• saunter 
• strut