coucal

noun

cou·​cal

ˈkükəl

plural -s

: any of various large long-tailed, brown-and-black cuckoos (genus Centropus) of Africa, southern Asia, and Australia that resemble pheasants especially in plumage pattern and habits see crow pheasant

Word History

Etymology

French, perhaps from coucou cuckoo (of imitative origin) + alouette lark, from Old French aloete, diminutive of aloe, from Latin alauda, from Gaulish

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