peacock
peacock Lexical Profile
peacock Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A large male peafowl of the pheasant family, native primarily to Asia, renowned for its loud calls and brilliant iridescent plumage, especially its sweeping upper tail coverts which it fans out in a courtship display.
"The peacock gracefully fanned its magnificent, jewel-toned tail feathers as visitors walked through the botanical garden."
A vain or ostentatious person who dresses or behaves in a flashy manner to draw attention.
"At industry galas, he was known as a bit of a peacock, always arriving in brightly colored designer suits."
• verb
To strut about proudly, vainly, or ostentatiously in order to show off and attract attention.
"The arrogant executives spent the entire networking event peacocking around the ballroom, boasting about their recent bonuses."
Word Nuance & Usage
Technically, 'peacock' refers only to the male of the species, while the female is a 'peahen' and the general term is 'peafowl', though 'peacock' is widely used colloquially for the whole species.
• Rhymes for peacock
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Middle English 'pecok', combining Old English 'pēa' (from Latin 'pavo', meaning peafowl) and 'cocc' (meaning cock or male bird).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.