1
: any of various slaty-black birds (genus Fulica) of the rail family that somewhat resemble ducks and have lobed toes and the upper mandible prolonged on the forehead as a horny frontal shield
2
: any of several North American scoters
3
: a harmless simple person
broadly
: fellow sense 4c
Examples of coot in a Sentence
Don't mind him—he's just a crazy old coot.
Recent Examples on the Web
The set-piece of Jim and Huck telling their stories also lets Walker and Anderson have some fun with the two old coots bickering over details, each armed with the stubborn certainty of long years.
—
Rob Salkowitz, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024
One of those ordinary people is a drunk old coot named Tomas, who offers a ride and shelter to Elena and Zubak in the midst of a 9 p.m. curfew and intensifying search to find them and bring them to justice.
—Scott Tobias, Vulture, 7 Apr. 2024
The wetland attracts birds, such as coots and tricolored blackbirds, and also recharges the aquifer that the roots of cottonwoods and willows tap into.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 26 May 2024
Jamie Smart, aged eight, was recognized for his striking image of a pheasant sitting on a farm gate beside blossoming blackthorn in spring, while 17-year-old Max Wood won the overall young photographer title with his photo of a coot running across a misty lake in Surrey, UK.
—Nell Lewis, CNN, 14 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for coot 
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Rob Salkowitz, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024
One of those ordinary people is a drunk old coot named Tomas, who offers a ride and shelter to Elena and Zubak in the midst of a 9 p.m. curfew and intensifying search to find them and bring them to justice.
—Scott Tobias, Vulture, 7 Apr. 2024
The wetland attracts birds, such as coots and tricolored blackbirds, and also recharges the aquifer that the roots of cottonwoods and willows tap into.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 26 May 2024
Jamie Smart, aged eight, was recognized for his striking image of a pheasant sitting on a farm gate beside blossoming blackthorn in spring, while 17-year-old Max Wood won the overall young photographer title with his photo of a coot running across a misty lake in Surrey, UK.
—Nell Lewis, CNN, 14 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for coot
Dictionary Entries Near coot
Cite this Entry
“Coot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coot. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
coot
noun1
: a slaty-black bird of the rail family that somewhat resembles a duck
2
: any of several North American scoters
3
: a harmless simple person
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