peacock

C1 Topic:Animals

US /ˈpiː.kɑːk/ UK /ˈpiː.kɒk/ See IPA manual

Freq #11014

Meanings

1

noun
A large male bird with a long, brightly coloured tail that it can spread out like a fan.

The peacock spread its shimmering tail to attract a mate.
2

verb
To show off or strut about proudly to impress others.

He peacocked around the party in his new designer suit.
3

noun
A vain or boastful person who likes to show off.

What a peacock he is, forever bragging about his car.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

peafowl

Word family

Forms peacocks

Derived forms meacockpeacock-pheasantpeacockerypeacockianpeacockingpeacockishpeacockismpeacocklikepeacockwisepeacocky

Related forms pajock

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

peacock blue
a rich blue shade with a green tint

Noun + noun

Simplified etymology

Peacock combines Middle English cock, meaning “male bird,” with pea, an Old English word for “peacock” derived from Latin pavo. This pea is unrelated to the name of the edible seed.

Etymology

From Middle English pecok, pekok, pocok, pacok, equivalent to pea (“peafowl; peacock”) + cock. Compare Old Norse páfugl (“peacock”, literally “pea-fowl”), and English peahen, peachick, etc.

pecok Middle English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Animals

External links

# peacock

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈpiː.kɑːk/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈpiː.kɒk/
**Frequency rank:** 11014

## Meanings
1. A large male bird with a long, brightly coloured tail that it can spread out like a fan.
2. To show off or strut about proudly to impress others.
3. A vain or boastful person who likes to show off.

## Examples
- The peacock spread its shimmering tail to attract a mate.
- He peacocked around the party in his new designer suit.
- What a peacock he is, forever bragging about his car.

## Synonyms
- peafowl

## Derived Forms
- meacock
- peacock-pheasant
- peacockery
- peacockian
- peacocking
- peacockish
- peacockism
- peacocklike
- peacockwise
- peacocky

## Related Forms
- pajock

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: pecok

## Etymology
From Middle English pecok, pekok, pocok, pacok, equivalent to pea (“peafowl; peacock”) + cock. Compare Old Norse páfugl (“peacock”, literally “pea-fowl”), and English peahen, peachick, etc.

## AI Etymology
Peacock is from Middle English pecok, pekok, pocok, pacok, equivalent to pea (“peafowl; peacock”) + cock. Compare Old Norse páfugl (“peacock”, literally “pea-fowl”), and English peahen, peachick, etc. A key historical form is Middle English pecok. In present-day use, it can mean a large male bird with a long, brightly coloured tail that it can spread out like a fan, or to show off or strut about proudly to impress others. Derived formations include meacock, peacock-pheasant, peacockery, peacockian, peacocking.

## Topics
- Animals

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