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Definition of cock-of-the-rock
cock-of-the-rock
Plural:cocks-of-the-rock
cock-of-the-rock Lexical Profile
CEFR
C2
Grade
11
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
A stout, brilliantly colored South American bird of the cotinga family (genus Rupicola), native to tropical and Andean cloud forests, distinguished in the male by vivid orange or red plumage, a prominent disk-like crest, and the habit of nesting and performing elaborate courtship displays on rocky cliffs.
Example
"During a trek through the Peruvian Andes, the birdwatchers were thrilled to spot a male Andean cock-of-the-rock performing its elaborate lekking dance."
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Cock-of-the-rock. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/cock-of-the-rock