drongo
drongo Lexical Profile
drongo Game Scores & Validity
• noun
Australian A foolish, incompetent, or stupid person.
"Don't be such a drongo and remember to put the handbrake on before you leave the car."
Any of various passerine birds of the family Dicruridae, native to the Old World tropics of Africa, Asia, and Australasia, typically characterized by glossy black plumage, stout bills, and long, forked tails.
"The black drongo is known for its aggressive behavior, often dive-bombing much larger birds of prey that enter its territory."
• Rhymes for drongo
Word Origin & Etymology
The word originally derives from Malagasy 'drongo', the local name for the crested drongo bird. The Australian slang sense meaning 'fool' originated in the 1920s from an Australian racehorse named Drongo, who became notorious for retiring without ever winning a single race despite many starts.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.