| Cuckoo | n. [ OE. coccou, cukkow, F. coucou, prob. of imitative origin; cf. L. cuculus, Gr. &unr_;&unr_;&unr_;&unr_;, Skr. k&unr_;ki&unr_;a, G. kuckuk, D. koekoek. ] (Zool.) A bird belonging to Cuculus, Coccyzus, and several allied genera, of many species. [ 1913 Webster ] ☞ The European cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) builds no nest of its own, but lays its eggs in the nests of other birds, to be hatched by them. The American yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus Americanus) and the black-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus erythrophthalmus) build their own nests. [ 1913 Webster ]
Cuckoo clock, a clock so constructed that at the time for striking it gives forth sounds resembling the cry of the cuckoo. --
Cuckoo dove (Zool.), a long-tailed pigeon of the genus Macropygia. Many species inhabit the East Indies. --
Cuckoo fish (Zool.), the European red gurnard (Trigla cuculus). The name probably alludes to the sound that it utters. --
Cuckoo falcon (Zool.), any falcon of the genus Baza. The genus inhabits Africa and the East Indies. --
Cuckoo maid (Zool.), the wryneck; -- called also cuckoo mate. --
Cuckoo ray (Zool.), a British ray (Raia miraletus). --
Cuckoo spit, or
Cuckoo spittle. (a) A frothy secretion found upon plants, exuded by the larvae of certain insects, for concealment; -- called also toad spittle and frog spit. (b) (Zool.) A small hemipterous insect, the larva of which, living on grass and the leaves of plants, exudes this secretion. The insects belong to Aphrophora, Helochara, and allied genera. --
Ground cuckoo, the chaparral cock. [ 1913 Webster ]
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| cuckoo bee | n. (Zool.), a bee, parasitic in the larval stage in the nests of other bees, feeding either upon their food or larvae. They belong to the genera Nomada, Melecta, Epeolus, and others. [ 1913 Webster ] |
| cuckoo-pint | n. a common European arum (Arum maculatum) with lanceolate spathe and short purple spadix; it emerges in early spring, and is the source of a sagolike starch called arum.
Syn. -- cuckoopint, lords and ladies, lords-and-ladies, jack-in-the-pulpit, Arum maculatum. [ WordNet 1.5 ] Variants: cuckoopint |
