peacock
noun
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.
peacock
1 American
[pee-kok]
/ ˈpiˌkɒk /
noun
-
peacocks,
plural
-
peacock
plural
-
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.
-
any peafowl.
-
a vain, self-conscious person.
-
Astronomy. Peacock, the constellation Pavo.
verb (used without object)
-
peacocks,
present (3rd person singular)
-
peacocked,
past participle, past
-
peacocking
present participle
Peacock
2
American
[pee-kok]
/ ˈpiˌkɒk /
noun
peacock
1
British
/ ˈpiːˌkɒk /
noun
-
a male peafowl, having a crested head and a very large fanlike tail marked with blue and green eyelike spots
-
another name for peafowl
-
a vain strutting person
verb
-
to display (oneself) proudly
-
obsolete to acquire (the best pieces of land) in such a way that the surrounding land is useless to others
Peacock
2
British
/ ˈpiːˌkɒk /
noun
peacock
Idioms
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
peacockerynoun
-
peacockishnessnoun
-
peacockismnoun
-
peahennoun
-
peacockishadjective
-
peacockyadjective
-
peacockishlyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
peacocksimple
-
peacockssimple
-
have peacockedperfect
-
has peacockedperfect
-
am peacockingprogressive
-
are peacockingprogressive
-
is peacockingprogressive
-
have been peacockingperfect progressive
-
has been peacockingperfect progressive
Past
-
peacockedsimple
-
had peacockedperfect
-
was peacockingprogressive
-
were peacockingprogressive
-
had been peacockingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of peacock
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 )
Explanation
A peacock is a shiny blue bird who fans out his large colorful iridescent tail feathers, especially when he’s flirting with the peahens. A peacock is a male peafowl. A male peacock is more flamboyant than his female counterpart — he’s the one with those long brilliant tail feathers marked with eye-like designs. If a man (a human!) dresses overly flashy, he’s “peacocking.” The writer Flannery O’ Connor was famous for having peacocks strut around her farm in Georgia. Peacocks also have a loud call that sounds almost like a human cry. The word peacock has many etymological influences, and it may ultimately come from the Tamil tokei.
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The en suite bathroom is as flamboyant as they come, with stars, peacock feathers, and graphic prints painted across the ceiling, purple walls, and double vanity.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 14, 2026
Instead of the usual vibrant red, this year’s carpet is peacock blue in honor of the 100th anniversary of NBC, which is broadcasting the ceremony.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026
The peacock is currently at Pasadena Humane’s Wildlife Center, the group confirmed to The Times.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
A peacock had to be captured after it terrorised a 92-year-old farmer's chickens.
From BBC ● Apr. 17, 2026
We considered paying villagers to remove the peacock snails that were harming our willows.
From "Willodeen" by Katherine Applegate
The Super Bowl was broadcast on NBC, Telemundo and Peacock in 2026.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
The BBC had a team at the Peacock Theatre in downtown Los Angeles, which was shutdown to traffic and onlookers as celebrities in black cars took over.
From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026
The Emmys “red” carpet is underway as television’s biggest stars descend on the Peacock Theater at L.A.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026
The 78th Emmy Awards begin Monday at 5 p.m. at the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026
The Peacock stood on the sidelines, a dazed look on his face.
From "Beauty Queens" by Libba Bray
“The house was small, so we built onto it to add a kitchen. We use the barns as a sanctuary for rescued horses, ducks, chickens, peacocks, goats, and other animals,” she went on.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 2, 2026
Sunset runs amid free-roaming peacocks and ghaf trees in a surprisingly rural area behind the skyscrapers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 6, 2026
I’m lucky in that I live near three botanic gardens, so I really have my pick, but I got a membership to the Arboretum because I like that they have peacocks.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 12, 2025
On the course, elaborate tombs of the city's past rulers poke through tangled trees that are home to peacocks, troops of monkeys and mongooses.
From Barron's ● Oct. 18, 2025
But we live on his farm now, and if I have to live on a farm, I think it ought to be an interesting one, with chickens and ducks and maybe some peacocks or something.
From "Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer" by Kelly Jones
In a choreographic sequence during the final seconds of his program, Malinin peacocked to the fans—and judges—with the kind of daring maneuver that’s more common on snow than ice.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 10, 2026
Charles’s coronation was a full-color spectacle, showing off the peacocked glory of British tradition and the bells and whistles of 21st-century TV.
From New York Times ● May 6, 2023
Stone-faced men in suits with badges pinned to their belts peacocked around.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 15, 2022
The helicopter landed just before 3 p.m. and Mick Jagger, 26 years old, bushy-haired and chewing gum, peacocked onto the pavement.
From Washington Post ● Nov. 21, 2019
"Aren't we having the time of our life?" exclaimed Rosamond, as she peacocked about, gazing over her shoulder at her long court train.
From Patty in Paris by Carolyn Wells
No peacocking and no polyester are among the codes junior bankers typically learn by breaking them.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 5, 2026
"So I could see how he might be funny about actors who were peacocking themselves," he said.
From BBC ● Mar. 1, 2025
It was a novel turn for an artist venerated for his dexterity, his peacocking, his exuberance, his progressivism.
From New York Times ● Feb. 2, 2024
There is a boastfulness and peacocking at times.
From Salon ● Jan. 25, 2023
My mount was peacocking on the grass when suddenly we heard a "Halloa!" and the whole field went hammering like John Gilpin down the hard high road.
From Margot Asquith, an Autobiography - Two Volumes in One by Margot Asquith
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