hoopoe
UK /ˈhuːpuː/ · US /ˈhupu/ noun
Forms hoopoes
- noun Any Old World bird of genus Upupa, especially Upupa epops (Eurasian hoopoe), known for its distinctive plumage, fanlike crest, and slender bill.
Synonyms
Etymology
Alteration of obsolete hoopoop, from earlier hoop, from Middle French and Old French huppe, from Latin upupa, ultimately onomatopoeic; Compare Ancient Greek ἔποψ (épops), Persian پوپو (popo).
Webster’s 1913
- noun A European bird of the genus Upupa (U. epops), having a beautiful crest, which it can erect or depress at pleasure. Called also hoop, whoop. The name is also applied to several other species of the same genus and allied genera.
Etymology [So called from its cry; cf. L. upupa, Gr. hop, F. huppe; cf. also G. wiedenhopf, OHG. wituhopfo, lit., wood hopper.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “hoopoe”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details